UNOTIL

United Nations Office in Timor-Leste

Public Information Office

UNOTIL discusses the Criminal Justice System in Timor-Leste

7th October 2005, Dili – The Prisons’ Structure as one of the three Pillars of the Criminal Justice System in Timor-Leste was the topic of discussion at the recently convened UNOTIL Policy Review and Coordination
meeting. The meeting, which focused on Timor Leste’s national prison structure and the need for improved prison management, was chaired by SRSG Sukehiro Hasegawa, and attended by Judge Claudio Ximenes, Chief Justice, Court of Appeal for Timor-Leste, H.E. Joao Nugent Ramos Pinto, Ambassador of Portugal, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from UN agencies, international human rights officers and advisers, and civil society.

The meeting highlighted the fact that while conditions in the Becora, Gleno and Baucau prisons are comfortable and better than most prisons in post-conflict countries, of major concern was the issue of pre-trial detainees or illegal detention of suspects. Chief Justice Ximenes clarified that according to regulation and, in general, Judges are allowed to order suspects in detention for a period of up to six months, during which time the Judge’s responsibility is to review the suspect’s case every 30 days. The challenge that the justice system faces, however, is to ensure that such cases are indeed appropriately registered, filed and reviewed.

Ambassador Ramos Pinto noted that capacity building and training for the prison guards is important. Such opportunities should also be extended to national prosecutors and clerks in order to ensure that investigations are properly carried out and that relevant facts are collected, compiled and presented to the courts. It should be noted that UNDP is currently implementing a judiciary programme under which efforts are being made to
introduce a standardised case management system.

In order to address this issue further, and to ensure proper coordination among key stakeholders, a task force will be formed with members from the Judiciary, UNDP, the UNOTIL Human Rights Unit, civilian advisers and civil
society. This group of experts will soon convene and a report will be presented to the SRSG.

In conclusion of the meeting, SRSG Hasegawa welcomed the informative presentations and fruitful discussion of the topic and assured participants that “UNOTIL and its partners were committed to ensuring that proper
mechanisms are in place to serve the people of Timor-Leste and to assist in the maintenance of a sound judicial system for the country”.

END