Out of fear of reprisals, the plaintiffs in this case remain anonymous.

John Doe I was shot in his family home on September 6, 1999. He died in the hospital four days later. Prior to his killing, militia members had come to the family home and threatened to “clean up” the supporters of independence, which appeared to target both him and his mother, Jane Doe I.

John Doe II was stopped in Dili, East Timor, on September 11, 1999, by Indonesian soldiers in uniform who interrogated him, beat him with rifle butts and kicked him until he fell to the ground. As he attempted to flee, a soldier shot him in the foot. The lack of available medical attention caused the wound to become infected and the foot subsequently had to be amputated.


John Doe III, John Doe IV and John Doe V were forced to flee their family home in 1999 after death threats increased against their family for their pro-independence activities. On or about September 7, 1999, John Doe V was killed in his hiding place, and there was an attempt to kill John Doe IV. Before killing John Doe V, soldiers shot and stabbed him as they interrogated him about the whereabouts of his family.