Press freedom under threat in Timor Leste
An international NGO has appealed to East Timor’s president, Xanana Gusmao to block new legislation they claim will clamp down on political dissent and freedom of the press. The new penal code criminalizes defamation, and could see those found guilty face unlimited fines, even in situations where the defendants have made true statements. Journalists found guilty of publishing defamatory material could face three years imprisonment, under a system that legal observers claim will provide much greater protection to government officials than ordinary citizens. Speaking here are Aderito Soares, a Dili-based human rights lawyer and then John Miller with the East Timor and Indonesia Action Network. President Gusmao has now promised to review the laws.