Díli, 12 March 2026 -The Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice, Virgílio da Silva Guterres “Lamukan”, together with the Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Maria Marília da Costa, participated in a meeting organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor-Leste to discuss the E-Governance for the Judicial System in Timor-Leste (e-JUSTI) programme, funded by the European Union. The meeting brought together representatives from several institutions, including the Camões – Institute for Cooperation and Language and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Foreign Minister of the Republixc of Lithuania , to exchange views on strengthening the modernization and digitalization of the judicial system in Timor-Leste.
During the discussion, the Ombudsman introduced the mandate and role of the Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice of Timor-Leste in promoting good governance and protecting citizens’ rights. He welcomed the initiative, noting that the development of the e-Justice system could help improve the efficiency of the justice sector and facilitate better access to justice for the public. The Ombudsman also emphasized that the implementation of digital judicial systems should be supported by key legal frameworks, including a data protection law and legislation on cybercrime and cybersecurity, to ensure the protection of users and the integrity of online systems. In addition, he highlighted the importance of publishing court decisions online to enhance transparency and allow the public to scrutinize judicial decisions, thereby strengthening accountability within the justice system.
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