A former Catholic priest convicted of sex abuse is among 38 people considered for the presidential executive clemency in Timor-Leste, according to the country's justice minister.
The names of 38 individuals, including that of defrocked American Richard Daschbach, have been submitted to Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Minister of Justice Sergio Hornay told the media on May 12.
The prime minister is expected to present the names to President Jose Ramos-Horta for consideration of executive clemency.
Hornay said that as justice minister, it was his responsibility to prepare and submit the names.
"Yes, Richard Daschbach's name is included. He is elderly, he has been imprisoned, and if he meets the criteria for clemency, the president will decide. We cannot keep him imprisoned perpetually," he added.
Daschbach, 88, has been a highly respected figure in the tiny Catholic-majority nation for his long-time missionary work in Indonesia and Timor-Leste. He also supported Timorese independence.
He is known to have close ties with the Timorese political leadership, including the current prime minister, Gusmao.
However, in 2018, he became the first Catholic priest charged with multiple child abuse at the Topu Honis orphanage that he founded in the Oecusse enclave, just across Indonesia.
He reportedly admitted to crimes during an investigation by the Church authorities.
The Vatican defrocked him from the priesthood, and his religious order, the Society of Divine Word (SVD), expelled him after the allegations were found to be true.
Following a long legal battle that drew global attention, a court sentenced him to 12 years in jail in 2021.
The proposal for Daschbach's clemency has sparked outcry from survivors of his abuse.
Juridico Social Consultoria (JU'S), the legal aid organization representing 15 survivors of Daschbach's abuse, expressed alarm upon learning of the clemency bid through media reports.
"The decision rests with the president. But if he is willing to hear the voices of the victims, they are ready to meet him and share their feelings," the group said in a statement on May 13.
Of the 15 victims represented by JU'S, several testified in Daschbach's trials held in 2019 and 2021 in Oecusse. Two others gave testimony in the United States, citing their dual citizenship status.
The court ultimately convicted Daschbach of six counts of sexual abuse of minors, sentencing him to 12 years, well below the maximum penalty of 30 years.
The inclusion of Daschbach's name on the clemency list has also drawn harsh criticism from activists and citizens alike, who view the move as a betrayal of justice and a blow to survivors.
Human rights advocate Zo Corbafo urged President Ramos-Horta to reject the clemency.
"Mr. President, the whole nation is watching," said Corbafo.
"This is not just about one man. It's about what kind of country we are becoming. Please, don't let compassion be used to excuse cruelty. Don't let power silence the pain of survivors. A pardon for a convicted child abuser is not healing – it's harm," Corbafo said in a statement.
Source: https://www.ucanews.com/news/timor-leste-considers-clemency-for-sex-abuse-convict-ex-priest/10899