PENAL CODE of the Democratic Republic of Timor Leste Article 245. Release of prisoners 1. Any person who, by unlawful means, releases or, by any means, aids in the escape of a person lawfully deprived of liberty, is punishable with 2 to 6 years imprisonment. 2. If the acts are committed using violence, employing weapons or with collaboration of more than two persons, the penalty is 2 to 8 years imprisonment. Article 246. Escape 1. Any person who escapes being lawfully deprived of liberty is punishable with 1 to 4 years imprisonment. 2. If the escape is made possible by using any of the means described in subarticle 2 above, the penalty is 2 to 6 years imprisonment. Article 247. Aid by an officer in escape 1. Any correctional officer who helps commit any of the acts described in the previous articles is punishable with the penalty prescribed therein, with the limits increased by one third. 2. If the correctional officer was responsible for guarding or surveillance of the escaped detainee and, nonetheless, aided in commission of any of abovementioned acts, the limit of the penalty described shall be increased by one half. 3. If the escape results from gross negligence on the part of the correctional officer charged with watching over the escapee, the penalty is up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine. Article 248. Prison riot 1. Any person who, in a situation of lawful incarceration, concertedly and jointly with another person in the same situation, attacks or threatens with violence the person charged with guarding or watching over them, in order for them or a third person to escape, or to commit, or refrain from committing any act, is punishable with 2 to 8 years imprisonment. 2. If commission of the acts described above achieves the intent of escape of the person or any other, the penalty is 3 to 10 years imprisonment. Article 249. Purloining or destruction state-owned assets Any person who wholly or in part destroys, causes damage to or renders unserviceable, or by any means misappropriates any document or other moveable property owned or held by the State or subject to the same, including any seized or attached property or object of a provisional remedy, is punishable with 2 to 6 years imprisonment, whenever no heavier penalty is applicable by force of another provision. Article 250. Tampering of marks, seals and notices 1. Any person who wholly or partially breaches or defaces any mark or seal lawfully posted by a competent official, to identify or maintain inviolable any object, or to certify that the same has been either attached, seized or under provisional remedy, is punishable with up to 3 years imprisonment or a fine. 2. Any person who, by any means, intentionally hinders an addressee from becoming informed of a notice posted by a competent official is punishable with up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine. 65