Ainaro, 12–16 October 2026 – The Provedoria dos Direitos Humanos e Justiça (PDHJ), in cooperation with the National Police of Timor-Leste (PNTL) and the Human Rights Advisory Unit (UADU), conducted a training on PNTL duties and human rights in Ainaro Municipality from 12 to 16 October 2026, with the participation of 25 police officers. The opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Maria Marília da Costa; UADU Human Rights Advisor, Azwa Pietra; and Ainaro Municipal PNTL Commander, Chief Superintendent Emílio dos Santos. In her opening remarks, the Deputy Ombudsman emphasised that respecting human rights is a constitutional obligation for the police, referring to Article 147 of the Constitution of Timor-Leste, which states that crime prevention must be carried out with due respect for human rights. She stressed: “Human rights are not brought by the United Nations, nor are they brought by the PDHJ — they are a constitutional mandate. Whenever the PNTL exercises its functions, it must always respect human rights.”
The training aimed to strengthen police officers’ understanding of their professional, social and constitutional responsibilities, including the lawful and proportionate use of force, the prevention of torture, respect for human dignity, community policing and the maintenance of public trust. The Deputy Ombudsman reminded participants that police officers must serve and protect the community while remaining impartial and accountable under the Constitution and the law. She also emphasised that professional conduct is essential to ensuring lawful interventions and protecting the rights of all people, including women, children, suspects and other vulnerable groups. The activity forms part of the cooperation agreement between the PDHJ, PNTL and UADU to promote human rights awareness and strengthen respect for human rights in policing.
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