Latest news with #RichardDaschbach
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Timor Leste president rejects pardon proposal for former priest and convicted pedophile
The President of Timor Leste has not included American Richard Daschbach in his list of prisoner pardons, despite a government recommendation. Mr Daschbach is a former Catholic priest who is serving a 12-year sentence for six counts of sexually abusing young Timor girls under his care at a remote orphanage. Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta released his annual list of prisoner pardons overnight, Mr Dashbach was not among the six names on the list. The 88-year-old is four years into his sentence and has been recommended for pardon by Timor's prime minister, but survivors of his crimes say they feel betrayed and unsafe at the prospect of the American's release. The ABC understands 11 of the survivors met with President Horta to voice their concerns about a possible pardon.
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Pedophile priest omitted from Timor Leste pardon
The President of Timor Leste has not included American Richard Daschbach in his list of prisoner pardons, despite a government recommendation. Mr Daschbach is a former Catholic priest who is serving a 12-year sentence for six counts of sexually abusing young Timor girls under his care at a remote orphanage. Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta released his annual list of prisoner pardons overnight, Mr Dashbach was not among the six names on the list. The 88-year-old is four years into his sentence and has been recommended for pardon by Timor's prime minister, but survivors of his crimes say they feel betrayed and unsafe at the prospect of the American's release. The ABC understands 11 of the survivors met with President Horta to voice their concerns about a possible pardon.
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Timor president rejects pardon proposal for former priest and convicted pedophile
On the program today: Timor Leste President Jose Ramos Horta has decided against pardoning convicted former priest Richard Daschbach. There are calls for calm in Papua New Guinea's capital, Port Moresby, following the shooting of a 29-year-old woman by police officers. Outspoken, fierce and a protector of culture and a peacemaker. That's how family, friends and the people of Vanuatu are remembering the late Hilda Lini. From the ABC's archives, a 1980 interview with Hilda Lini before New Hebrides became independent from France and Britain. People at the site of a massive landslide in Papua New Guinea are calling for action one year on after more than 600 people died. Successful applicants of the Pacific Engagement Visa, have started to settle into their new lives in Australia. A new academy has just been launched by Vanuatu Cricket, with the aim of drawing in the best male and female talent and building a new generation of national team players. The Trump administration has dramatically stepped up its dispute with one of the United States' top universities, attempting to block Harvard's ability to enrol foreign students.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Outrage over Timor pardon proposal for paedophile former priest
A woman who survived sexual abuse at the hands of a convicted paedophile former priest fears he will hurt her again if the Timor-Leste government succeeds in having him pardoned. Defrocked priest Richard Daschbach, a United States citizen, was convicted by a Timor-Leste court in December 2021 after being found guilty of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care. The high-profile trial and conviction were the first of their kind in the staunchly religious nation, where about 97 per cent of the population identifies as Catholic. Daschbach, now 88 years old, has had the strong support of Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, who attended his 2021 trial and controversially celebrated Daschbach's birthday at the time.
ABC News
15-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Sex abuse survivor urges Timor-Leste president not to pardon paedophile ex-priest Richard Daschbach
A woman who survived sexual abuse at the hands of a convicted paedophile former priest fears he will hurt her again if the Timor-Leste government succeeds in having him pardoned. Defrocked priest Richard Daschbach, a United States citizen, was convicted by a Timor-Leste court in December 2021 after being found guilty of sexually abusing orphaned and disadvantaged young girls under his care. The high-profile trial and conviction were the first of their kind in the staunchly religious nation, where about 97 per cent of the population identifies as Catholic. Daschbach, now 88 years old, has had the strong support of Timor-Leste's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, who attended his 2021 trial and controversially celebrated Daschbach's birthday at the time. And this week it was revealed Timor-Leste's government had proposed that the ex-priest be pardoned and released. Mária, who Daschbach sexually abused when she was a child at the Topu Honis children's shelter in the country's remote west, is calling for Timorese President José Ramos-Horta to reject the government-backed proposal to release him from prison. "It looks like he will go back to the Topu Honis orphanage [where he committed his crimes] and could hurt our hearts as victims who have attended [his] trial in court." Mr Ramos-Horta must decide whether to grant Daschbach's release by Tuesday, to coincide with the country's annual Independence Day celebrations. It is a tradition for convicted criminals to receive pardons on that day. The proposal to pardon Daschbach only four years into his 12-year prison term has faced a backlash from both advocates of victim-survivors and opposition MPs. Legal aid groups in Timor-Leste have called on Mr Ramos-Horta to meet victim-survivors before making a decision on the matter. Observers also warn the proposal to pardon Daschbach will retraumatise victim-survivors and send a dangerous message to Timor-Leste about child sexual abuse and gender-based violence. "He was found guilty and admitted to terrible crimes against young girls," said Sara Niner, a Monash University senior lecturer who has researched Timor-Leste for 20 years. "The man should die in jail." Mária said she and other victim-survivors lived in fear before Daschbach was convicted and imprisoned four years ago. "We looked for people to hide us," she said. But she fears that will change if he is released and says victim-survivors will suffer even more. "If he does get out of prison, we'll be afraid again, because as victims, what we say, people won't believe us again," she said. "People can provoke us again." Daschbach spent decades as a missionary in Timor-Leste's remote enclave of Oecusse after moving to the country in 1966, when it was a Portuguese colony. He was a figure in the nation's fight for independence and was once highly regarded for founding the Topu Honis, or Guide To Life, children's shelters that cared for orphans and children and youth from impoverished families, people with disabilities, and women who fled domestic violence. But Daschbach was expelled from his Catholic congregation in 2019 after admitting to sexual abuse of minors, and the previous year, he was expelled from the Church de Santo Antonio de Motael in the capital Dili. He later faced charges of child sexual abuse, as well as child pornography and domestic violence. Jurídico Social, which represents 15 survivors of sexual abuse committed by Daschbach, said Mr Ramos-Horta should meet the convicted paedophile's victims before deciding on a pardon. "The sentence imposed reflects the court's assessment of what was legally just and proportionate, based on the facts of the case, the applicable law, the accused's advanced age, and the defence arguments presented in relation to the crimes committed," it said in a written statement. "The sentence was upheld at the appeal level. "Should [Mr Ramos-Horta] wish to hear the voices and perspectives of the victims regarding the proposal for a pardon or reduction of sentence, as required by law, the victims stand ready to meet with him." Mária said she wanted to speak directly to Mr Ramos-Horta. "If the president wants to make a decision to release him from prison, then the president is saying he wants to make us suffer." The ABC approached Mr Ramos-Horta and his office for comment. Opposition MPs have voiced their condemnation of the government move to have Daschbach pardoned. Fretilin Party MP Nurima Alkatiri said she was concerned about the impact it would have on victim-survivors. "This was a very serious crime and it was not easy for the victims or survivors to come forward and report it." Dr Niner said the proposal to pardon Daschbach was not surprising given Mr Gusmão's previous support for him. The ABC asked Mr Gusmão's office to clarify his role in the move to have Daschbach pardoned, but it did not respond to questions before deadline. Dr Niner said the proposal sent the wrong message because Timor-Leste was just starting to speak about issues relating to sexual abuse. "It will send a message to the wider community that these sorts of crimes are pardonable … that it should be tolerated. And that it should be hidden and covered up." Dr Niner said Mr Ramos-Horta should reject the proposed pardon. She also said the government should withdraw it altogether. "[We should be] thinking about the effect on the victim-survivors," Dr Niner said. "These girls have survived and continue to rebuild their lives. "Think about how this would affect them instead of focusing on a perpetrator of sexual abuse." For Mária, there is an anxious wait until Mr Ramos-Horta makes a decision on Daschbach's future. "I hope he doesn't get out from prison," she said.
