ABC AUSTRALIA, 20/08/2002 09:00:09
US disappointed by Indonesian rights cases
The United States has broken a silence on Indonesia's recent human rights trials.
Washington says it's disappointed by Indonesian prosecutors' handling of human
rights cases which ended in acquittals last week.
The critical statement comes after having first declined to comment on the matter.
A Deputy State Department spokesman Philip Reeker, says Washington is not
pleased with the prosecutions of the seven defendants, six of whom were found not
guilty of committing abuses in East Timor in 1999.
Mr Reeker says without commenting on the specific verdicts, which are subject to
appeal, the U-S is disappointed prosecutors did not fully use evidence available to
them from the United Nations and elsewhere in documenting the atrocities that
occurred in East Timor.
The court convicted just one person, former East Timor governor Abilio Soares, who
was sentenced to three years jail for failing to control his subordinates from
committing crimes against humanity.
20/08/2002 09:00:09 | ABC Radio Australia News
© 2001 Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
