Timor-Leste: Female journalist arrested

Female journalist Antónia Kastono Martins was arrested while covering the eviction of street vendors in Timor-Leste's capital, Dili, on September 4. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Timor Leste Press Union (TLPU), in condemning the detention of Martins and urging authorities to ensure that press freedom is upheld and that media workers can report freely.

Journalist Antónia Kastono Martins arrested while covering the eviction of street vendor in Timor-Leste's capital, Dili, on September 4. Credit: Instagram

On the night of September 4, Antónia Kastono Martins, a reporter for the East Timorese news site Média Diligente, was detainedby police while covering an operation to remove street vendors from a bustling market in the nation's capital, Dili, in preparation for Pope Francis's visit. Martin was releasedwithout charge after being held in custody for four hours.

Video footage releasedshowed police officers, led by the Secretary of State for Toponymy and Urban Organisation (SEATOU), Germano Santa Brites Dias, accompanied by masked people, smashing vendors' stalls with sticks, crowbars and spears, along one of the paths where the Pope's entourage was due to pass. Suzana Cardoso, a journalist with Média One Timor, had her camera confiscatedby the police, with footage documenting the operation deleted.

Henrique da Costa, the General Commissioner of Police in Timor-Leste, statedthat the incident was a misunderstanding between the officers and journalists, noting that the situation was resolved at the police station. He further added that Martins was freeto take legal action if she wished. President José Ramos-Horta has publicly statedthat any hindrance to journalistic activities is unacceptable and must not be tolerated.

Pope Francis, visiting Timor Leste on a tour of Southeast Asia, is the first head of the Catholic church to visit the nation since 1989. The religious leader's visit was preceded by significant efforts to beautify Dili at a significant human and economic cost.

TLPU said: "TLPU condemns the action of the Secretary of State for Toponymy and Urban Organisation (SEATOU), Germano Santa Brites Dias, and his team for committing crimes, especially obstructing the work of journalists. […] The TLPU asks the Commander-in-Chief of the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL), Commissioner General Henrique da Costa, to give guidance to all members of the Police to respect the work of journalists in the field because journalists are not criminals."

IFJ said:"The IFJ condemns the detention of reporter Antonieta Kartono Martins and the confiscation and destruction of journalistic materials during the police operation in Dili. Any actions that obstruct media work, especially coverage in the public interest, must be addressed with urgency from Timor-Leste authorities."