Dili, 9 March 2026 – The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan,” met with the Head of the UN Human Rights Advisory Unit in Timor-Leste, Raja Azwa Petra, at the temporary office of PDHJ located at Excelsior Resort, Dili, to discuss key areas of collaboration in promoting and protecting human rights. The meeting addressed critical issues including human rights training for F-FDTL and PNTL, with discussions focused on conducting a potential assessment of training impact to allow for readjustment of approaches or updating of training manuals, ensuring that capacity-building efforts translate into meaningful results on the ground. The dialogue also covered the possibility of meeting with the UN Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing, as well as other UN human rights mechanisms and bodies, during the Annual Meeting of GANHRI in Geneva, scheduled from 30 March to 1 April 2026.
The Head of the UN Human Rights Advisory Unit welcomed the Ombudsman’s initiative in submitting a letter to the National Parliament requesting the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT), and expressed support for future collaboration in developing Timor-Leste’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process. Ombudsman Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan” appreciated the productive meeting and reaffirmed his commitment to maintaining close cooperation through regular consultations to address emerging issues related to the protection and promotion of human rights in Timor-Leste.
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