Judged on Orders?

East Timor’s most wanted man Eurico Guterres was let off by a judge who ruled police had failed to respect the law in arresting him. But did police just act because their president told them to?

October 29, 2000

Police are having trouble getting at the head of East Timor’s notorious Aitarak militia via the law. On Monday last week, Guterres was released by a judge during a pre-trial hearing at the South Jakarta District Court. According to Judge I.D.G. Putra Jadnya, police failed to meet the requirements set out in Indonesia’s Criminal Code Procedures (KUHAP) when they arrested Guterres. The judge cancelled the arrest and detention of the man...

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