Dili, May 27, 2025 (Média Democracia) – The Office of the Provedor for Human Rights and Justice (PDHJ) celebrated its 21st anniversary this week, marking the occasion by publishing its 2024 annual report, which highlights issues such as the lack of legal assistance in many detention facilities. The event was held at the PDHJ building in Caicoli, Dili, on Monday.
Provedor for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres (known as “Lamukan”), stated that the anniversary celebration also served as a platform to officially present the PDHJ’s 2024 report.
“In relation to monitoring and investigations carried out during 2024, we noted several concerns, for example, in some cases, detainees did not receive legal assistance or lacked access to lawyers. Furthermore, they also did not receive adequate healthcare during their detention,” said Virgílio da Silva Guterres.
The PDHJ report highlighted that in Suai prison, from January to February 2024, detainees were almost entirely deprived of basic necessities such as soap, toothpaste, and daily food supplies, due to delays from the contracted supplier.
The report further revealed poor conditions in detention cells at PNTL (National Police of Timor-Leste) command posts, especially in 65 administrative posts and across the 13 municipalities. These conditions were deemed inadequate for holding detainees and had negative impacts on their health.
The Provedor emphasized that the report also touched on good governance challenges, particularly concerning operational resources that hinder the PNTL from performing its duties with full responsibility and professionalism.
“Based on PDHJ’s 2024 criminal investigation report, we recorded 32 criminal cases, many of which involved PNTL members and teachers in relation to school violence. For instance, in Manufahi, a traffic police officer punished a young person by burning his hand on a motorcycle exhaust pipe after an argument. We call on the Ministry of Interior and the General Command to address such issues seriously,” stated the Provedor.
The PDHJ report also identified problems with the availability of medicines at the Guido Valadares National Hospital (HNGV), linked to stock shortages. Additionally, there were concerns about the government’s failure to renew contracts for over 2,000 healthcare professionals.
Among PDHJ’s 2024 achievements, the institution became a member of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, allowing it to participate in global forums and represent Timor-Leste at the United Nations.
In response, Public Defender General Câncio Xavier acknowledged the issues raised in PDHJ’s inspection of three prisons such as Becora, Gleno, and Suai, confirming that inmates continue to face daily challenges in meeting their basic needs.
“Based on the PDHJ report, the Public Defender’s Office, as part of the national legal aid network, remains committed to addressing the issues raised and improving conditions in the future,” said Câncio Xavier.
He added that although human resources fall short of expectations, efforts are underway to improve conditions, within the limits of available resources. He expressed optimism that, going forward, these long-standing problems could be resolved, as each defender takes responsibility for their clients.
PDHJ explained that it continues to receive and register these complaints and recommendations. However, the Public Defender’s Office currently has only 34 public defenders. Therefore, they urge the government to increase human resources in the office to better address these ongoing challenges.
Report: Nelfiano
Photo: Nelfiano