The present report examines the effectiveness of the administration of the Special Panels for Serious Crimes of the Dili District Court that have been created by the United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET). These Special Panels are mandated to deal with Serious Crimes committed during the Indonesian occupation, including the campaign of violence in 1999. The JSMP refers to the Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers with regard to access to effective legal assistance.