Protesters gather as Witness K Timor oil spying case begins

September 13, 2018
Issue 
Photo: Peter Boyle

Protesters took to the streets of Sydney on September 12 against Australia’s prosecution of Witness K and his lawyer Bernard Collaery for allegedly whistleblowing on Australia’s bugging of Timor-Leste government offices.

The two are being prosecuted by the federal government for allegedly disclosing information about Australian agents installing listening devices in the offices of the East Timorese prime minister and the Cabinet during critical negotiations over resources in the Timor Sea.

NSW Greens MP David Shoebridge told the rally outside Commonwealth Offices that the prosecution of Witness K and Collaery was a “new low for Australia”.

The protesters heard about how activists in Timor-Leste were collecting signatures of people protesting the prosecution on a 10-metre-long banner which they planned to deliver to the Australian Embassy next week.

There was also another protest outside the ACT Magistrate’s Court in Canberra that day as the case started.

[See more photos by Peter Boyle here.]

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