29 April 2009

Anniversary of the East Timor Judicial System Monitoring Program: Progress and Challenges April 2001 - April 2009

JSMP DILI 19 April 2009 - JSMP is a national NGO that was established in Timor Leste and has been in operation since 2001 with the main aim of promoting the rule of law and democracy and upholding international human rights standards through court monitoring, analysis of court decisions, research, commentary and recommendations on thematic justice issues identified within the formal justice sector.

In order to achieve this objective JSMP established four units, namely the Legal Research Unit, the Women’s Justice Unit, the Public Outreach Unit and the Victim Support Service (VSS). These units are provided with administrative support and supervision by the management team of JSMP. These four units conduct activities in specific areas, such as: monitoring all of the district courts and the Court of Appeal, as well as the National Parliament, analysing legislation, information dissemination programs (radio and television programs), training programs for women’s groups and journalists in the districts, training to police, Village Councils and members of the community about the Timor Leste judicial system as well as providing legal aid to victims of gender based violence. The aim of these activities is to support and develop a judicial system that is strong, adequate, transparent and accessible to all.

JSMP publishes the results of these activities through press releases, justice updates and thematic and annual reports. The publication of thematic reports is a routine and periodic activity whereby JSMP prepares information related to the judicial system that is disseminated to interested members of both the national community and the international community. Therefore, on this occasion of the eighth anniversary of JSMP, we are launching a report about provisions on Abortion as contained in the Timor Leste Penal Code, with a discussion on constitutionality and compliance with international laws that have been ratified by the state of Timor Leste. This analysis makes reference to and reflects on practices existing in other member states of the international conventions that relate to the protection of human rights. This report is entitled “Abortion Issue Still Needs to be Addressed: Article 141 of the Timor Leste Penal Code needs to Comply with the Constitution and International Law” which can be found on the JSMP website.

During its eight years of operation JSMP has observed many impediments that have influenced the functioning of the judicial system in Timor Leste, however JSMP also recognises progress that has been made in some areas. These impediments include language issues, limited human resources in the justice sector, pending cases, infrastructure, inadequate legislation/laws and other types of logistic support that are required to ensure the effective functioning of the judicial system. These impediments have had an impact on the ability of the justice system to respect fundamental human rights and provide affordable, timely and equal justice, including respect for other basic principles that are set out in the Constitution.

Progress has been made in some areas such as the renovation of the Dili District Court and other district courts, an increase in the number of judicial officials in the Public Prosecution Service, ongoing training programs for jurists, the construction of accommodation for prosecutors and public defenders in the districts, the provision of transport for some judges etc.

JSMP would like to use this opportunity to appeal to all components of the state, especially those components that have a decision making capacity in this respectable judicial system of Timor Leste, because JSMP believes that the only solution available to fix the current situation is to guarantee the provision of justice to all people.

JSMP also appeals to other entities, individuals, collectives, academics, donors and representatives of civil society to come together and help each other to complement, strengthen and revive the judicial sector with proper regard to the spirit of the Constitution, the rule of law and human rights across Timor Leste.

Through an effective justice system we will be able to exercise and enjoy our fundamental rights as guaranteed in the Constitution and international conventions that have been ratified by the State.

For further information please contact: Luis de Oliveira Sampaio Executive Director of JSMP Email: luis@jsmp.minihub.org

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Tinan Wula JSMP: Entre Progresu no Dezafiu Abril 2001-Abril 2009 Abril 2009

JSMP nudar ONG nasional ne’ebe estabelese iha juridisaun TL iha 2001 to’o ohin loron existe nafatin ho objetivu fundamental atu promove Estadu de Direitu Demokratiku no tane a’as padraun direitus humanus internasional sira liu husi monitorizaun iha tribunal, analiza ba desizaun tribunal sira, halao pesquiza no fornese komentariu no rekomendasaun tuir isu justisa tematik ne’ebe identifika iha area/setor justisa formal nia laran.

Atu atinji objetivu hirak ne’e, JSMP estabelese unidades 4 hanesan Unidade Peskiza Legal, Unidade Justisa ba Feto, Unidade Informasaun Publiku/outreach nomos Unidade Suporta ba Vitima/VSS. Unidade hirak ne’e funsiona ho apoiu administrativu no supervizaun husi Equipa Manejementu JSMP. Unidade hat (4) ne’ebe refere halao aktividade iha area espesifiku hanesan; halao monitorizasaun iha tribunal distrital tomak no Tribunal Rekursu inklui Uma Fukun Parlamentu Nasional, analiza legislasaun, programa desiminasaun informasaun (programa radio no televizaun), programa treinamentu ba grupu feto no jornalista sira iha distritu, treinementu ba polisia, Konselho de Suco no komunidade kona ba sistema judisiariu TL nomos fornese asistensia legal ba vitima violensia bazea ba jeneru. Objetivu husi atividade sira ne’e atu suporta no dezenvolve sistema judisiariu ne’ebe forte, adekuadu, transparante no asesivel ba ema hotu.

Rezultadu husi aktividades hirak ne’e, JSMP publika sai ba ema hotu liu husi komunikadu emprensa, aktualizasaun justisa no relatoriu tematiku no anual. Publikasaun relatoriu tematiku nudar aktividade rutina no periodikal ne’ebe JSMP produz hodi disemina informasaun ne’ebe iha relasaun ho sistema judisiariu tantu ba komunidade nasional no internacional ne’ebe iha interese atu asesu. Tanba nune’e, ohin aproveita ho loron aniversariu JSMP ba dala walu, JSMP lansa relatorio ida kona-ba asuntu abortu iha Kodigu Penal Timor Leste husi perpespetiva Konstitusional no Lei Internasional sira ne’ebe Estadu Timor Leste ratifika. Analiza ne’e mos kaer ba referensia no refleta ba pratika sira ne’ebe eziste iha nasaun sira seluk nudar Estadu Parte ba konvensaun internasional sira iha relasaun protesaun ba direitu umano. Relatoriu ne’e ho titlu “ Asuntu Abortu Sei Persiza Hadia: Artigu 141 Kodigu Penal Timor Leste Tenke Kumpri Tuir Konstituisaun no Lei Internasional” nomos “Website JSMP nian.

Durante tinan walu halao nia k’nar, JSMP observa obstaklus barak ne’ebe fo impaktu ba lalaok sistema judicial iha TL, maibe rekuiƱese mos progresu iha parte balun. Bele dehan katak obstaklus hirak ne’e mak hanesan factor linguazen, limitasun rekursu humanus autor judicial, kazus pendentes, infrastrutura, lejislasaun/lei ne’ebe seidauk adequadu no apoiu lojistiku sira seluk ne’ebe lolos tenke eziste duni atu garante funsionamentu sistema judisiariu ne’ebe efetivu. Konsekuensia husi obstaklu hirak ne’e lori implikasaun ba realizasaun direitu baziku fundamental justisa ne’ebe bratu, lalais no justu ba ema hotu, inklui mos prinsipiu baziku sira seluk ne’ebe estipula iha Konstituisaun da Republika.

Aspeitu balun ne’ebe konsidera nudar progresu mak hanesan renovasaun fiziku ba tribunal iha Dili no distritu, numeru majistradu sira iha Ministeriu Publiku aumenta, kontinuasaun program formasaun ba jurista sira, konstrusaun ba akomodasaun/hela fatin ba prokuradores no defensoria publiku iha distritu, fornese ona fasilidade transporte ba Juizes balun no sel-selu tan.

Aproveita oportunidade ne’e JSMP kontinua bolu atensaun ba komponente estadu tomak liu-liu ba sira ne’ebe iha kbit atu hola desizaun ba distinu sistema judisiariu Timor Leste nian.

Tanba JSMP fiar katak solusaun ba situasaun sira ne’e deit mak uniku dalan atu garante no fornese justisa ba ema hotu.

JSMP mos konvida entidades sira seluk, indivisu ka grupu koletivu, akademiku sira, doadores no sosiedade sivil atu hamutuk fo liman ba malu hodi kompleta reforsa, no hamoris funsionamentu sistema judisiariu ne’ebe refleta duni esperitu Konstitusional, Estadu de Direitu no Direitu Umanus iha Timor Leste laran tomak.

Tanba ho sistema justisa ne’ebe diak mak ita bele ezerse no goja ita nia direitu fundamental sira seluk ne’ebe garantiu iha Konstituisaun no Konvensaun Internasional ratifikadu sira.

Atu hetan informasaun kle'an favor kontaktu: Luis de Oliveira Sampaio Diretor Eksekutivu JSMP Diresaun Email: luis@jsmp.minihub.org http://www.jsmp.minihub.org

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East Timor Law and Justice Bulletin congratulates JSMP on its anniversary.

JSMP is the most crucial civil society organisation focused on the law and justice sector in East Timor.

ETLJB applauds the most excellent work of JSMP in monitoring and reporting on the judicial system in East Timor and urges international law and justice donors to support JSMP.

Image added by ETLJB: Artwork by Arte Moris artist.

1 comment:

East Timor Law Journal said...

Selamat ulang tahun kedelapan JSMP! Panjang umurnya!