Policeman gets 3 years for rights crimes<\/p>\n
Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Former Dili police chief Lt. Col. Hulman Gultom was sentenced to
\nthree years in prison on Monday by a human rights court for
\ncrimes against humanity in East Timor in 1999.<\/p>\n
However, like previous convicts, he remained free pending an
\nappeal with the High Court.<\/p>\n
Hulman was found guilty of failing to prevent a crime
\ncommitted by his subordinates and allowing then pro-Jakarta
\nmilitia members to attack and kill pro-independence East Timorese
\ntaking refuge in the house of independence leader Manuel Vegas
\nCarascalao on April 17, 1999.<\/p>\n
At least 12 refugees died and dozens were injured in the
\nmassacre.<\/p>\n
Hulman was also convicted for failing to prevent similar
\nattacks at the Dili Diocese building and Bishop Carlos Filipe
\nXimenes Belo's residence on Sept. 5 and Sept. 6, 1999
\nrespectively.<\/p>\n
\"We sentenced him to three years in prison for the crimes,\"
\nsaid presiding judge Andriani Nurdin.<\/p>\n
Hulman said he would appeal the verdict with the High Court.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Nasir A. Maksum had demanded a 10-year prison
\nsentence for Hulman.<\/p>\n
According to Law No. 26\/2000 on Human Rights Tribunal, a crime
\nagainst humanity carries a minimum sentence of 10 years.<\/p>\n
Andriani admitted the three-year jail term for Hulman was
\nbelow the minimum punishment set by the Human Rights Tribunal
\nLaw, saying that such a minimum sentence was not in accordance
\nwith the judges' sense of justice.<\/p>\n
\"So we decided to deviate from the Human Rights Tribunal Law,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
Hulman claimed that the judges were wrong in thinking that he
\ndid not prevent the killings in East Timor in 1999.<\/p>\n
\"I was always ready to give my life to prevent (any bloody
\nincidents there),\" Hulman said.<\/p>\n
With Hulman's verdict, the human rights court has handed down
\n15 verdicts of a total 18 defendants.<\/p>\n
Besides Hulman, former Dili military district chief Lt. Col.
\nSoedjarwo, former East Timor governor Abilio Jose Osorio Soares,
\nand former militia leader Eurico Guterres were also convicted.<\/p>\n
Soedjarwo was sentenced to five years in prison, Abilio to
\nthree years in jail, and Eurico to 10 years in prison.<\/p>\n
The court is still to hear three other cases against Maj. Gen.
\nAdam Damiri, former Bali-based Udayana military commander
\noverseeing Bali, Nusa Tenggara and the then-East Timor province,
\nformer East Timor Military chief Brig. Gen. Tono Suratman, and
\nhis successor Brig. Gen. Noer Muis.<\/p>\n
Hundreds of innocent people were killed in the run-up, during,
\nand after the United Nations-sponsored referendum in East Timor
\nin 1999, in which the majority of East Timorese voted to break
\naway from Indonesia, which occupied the territory for more than
\ntwo decades.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/policeman-gets-3-years-for-rights-crimes-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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