Timor trader jailed for subversive act<\/p>\n
DILI, East Timor (JP): A district court here yesterday
\nsentenced a 20-year-old man to 20 months in jail for
\nparticipating in an anti-government demonstration last April.<\/p>\n
Rosalino dos Santos was found guilty of creating public
\ndisorder and fueling separatist sentiments through his actions in
\nfront of a hotel where foreign journalists were staying.<\/p>\n
As soon as Judge AAGL Adhyana read the verdict, Rosalino, a
\ntrader with only an elementary school education, said that he
\ncould not accept the verdict.<\/p>\n
\"I'm not guilty so I reject the verdict,\" said the defendant
\nwho never expressed his regret for the alleged anti-government
\nactivities during the hearings.<\/p>\n
The verdict said Rosalino helped plan the demonstration during
\na meeting at the house of Pedro de Fatima, the day before the
\ndemonstration took place on April 14.<\/p>\n
The defendant also urged his friends to unfurl anti-government
\nposters in front of foreign journalists at Hotel Mahkota and
\ncontacted foreign journalists who were staying both there and at
\nHotel Tourismo seeking coverage.<\/p>\n
Rosalino had earlier told the court that he hoped that the
\ncoverage would attract foreign support for the independence of
\nEast Timor.<\/p>\n
The defendant also admitted that he was a member of UJETIL
\n(Juventude das Estudantes de Timor Leste), a subsidiary of the
\nFretilin separatist movement.<\/p>\n
The court, which was presided over by Yusna Maitysia, had
\npreviously jailed other three demonstrators, Pantaleon Amaral,
\n18, Isak Soaresm, 22, and Miguel de Deus, 20.<\/p>\n
In an earlier session, prosecutor Benedictus Suryo Husodo
\nasked the court to sentence Rosalino to 30 months.<\/p>\n
The court will also hand down verdicts for the other two
\ndefendants being tried for the same charge. (yac\/prs)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/timor-trader-jailed-for-subversive-act-1447893297",
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