International Judges sworn-in in the Court of Appeal

7 Jul 2008

International Judges sworn-in in the Court of Appeal

29 September 2006, Dili: On the 28th of September, at 2h30 pm, the President of the Superior Council of the Judiciary, Cláudio Ximenes, swore in international judges Ivo Nelson de Caires Batista Rosa (from Portugal) and Telma Angélica Figueiredo (from Brazil) to perform functions as judges in the district courts of Timor-Leste.

The two judges were recruited by the UNDP Justice System Program. Both candidates have extensive experience as acting judges in their countries.

The President of the Superior Council of the Judiciary said "the judge has to decide, according to the law, with independence and impartiality. Independence means that nobody, authority, or group can pressure a judge so that he or she decide in a determined sense. The judge cannot decide according with individual opinions, authority or group's will. Impartiality means do not favor or prejudice any of the process parties. Until now the judges have been providing their decisions according to the laws in force in Timor-Leste, based on the evidence before them, with independence and impartiality. This is the performance demanded from them and they will continue to perform as such, with independence and impartiality, even if it means rendering decisions that do not please everyone". (UNDP Timor-Leste)