London – A weak judicial system in newly independent East Timor undermined human rights there last year, Amnesty International said Wednesday.

The London-based rights watchdog, in its report on 2002, said the new country inherited an incomplete institutional and legal framework which could not fully protect human rights.

"The rights of victims and suspects, including children, were undermined by the weak justice system and the police used excessive force in response to public disturbances," Amnesty said.

Police opened fire during riots last December 4 in Dili. Two people were killed during the unrest.

Amnesty said delays and inconsistencies in the administration of justice contributed to security problems in prisons and there was "continued reliance on non-official justice mechanisms."

It said women and other vulnerable groups were at particular risk of discrimination in this system.

Amnesty said flaws in the judicial system meant children were detained, often for minor offences, for months before trial.

Foreign Minister Jose Ramos-Horta has admitted that the judiciary is the weakest institution in the poverty-stricken nation, which became independent in May 2002.