Díli, June 11,junho de 2026 (Lusa) - The Timor-Leste Press Council stated on Thursday that freedom of expression and freedom of the press do not pose a threat to the state, and called for the draft bill criminalising defamation to be withdrawn from parliament.
“We call on the government, through the Ministry of Justice, to withdraw this draft bill from the legislative process and to promote an inclusive public consultation,” said Susana Cardoso, chair of the Timor-Leste Press Council.
She was speaking at a press conference on the proposed seventh amendment to the Penal Code regarding the criminalisation of defamation in Timor-Leste.
“We also call on parliament to unanimously reject the criminalisation of defamation,” she said.
She urged MPs to prioritise the passing of laws considered more important for national development, such as the broadcasting law, the personal data protection law and the cybercrime law.
“The Press Council also calls on the media and journalists to continue to practise their profession with professionalism, independence and respect for the Code of Journalistic Ethics, reinforcing their role of oversight and balance in defence of the public interest,” recommended Susana Cardoso.
The Press Council also considered the draft bill to be a step backwards for the democratic environment.
“Freedom of the press and freedom of expression are not a threat to the State. On the contrary, they are fundamental pillars of transparency, accountability, good governance and democracy,” she stated.
Susana Cardoso recalled that Timor-Leste’s independence and its international recognition cannot be separated from the role played by national and international journalists who brought the truth about the suffering of the Timorese people to the attention of the international community.
For this reason, she added, any attempt to criminalise freedom of expression through criminal law sends the wrong message about Timor-Leste to the world, including that it does not value the freedoms for which its people fought and made great sacrifices to achieve.
"Democracy is not strengthened because citizens are afraid to speak out. Democracy is strengthened when citizens are free to speak, criticise, scrutinise and participate in public life without fear of criminal threats,” she added.
In May, parliament tabled a proposal to amend the Penal Code to include the criminalisation of defamation, six years after the government had suspended a similar initiative due to strong criticism from civil society.
Through Commission A, responsible for constitutional affairs, parliament has also begun hearings to gather opinions from relevant bodies on draft bills relating to sexual harassment, incest and defamation.
The Association of University Students of Timor-Leste and several civil society organisations have rejected the proposal to criminalise defamation and have vowed to hold demonstrations should the bill be approved.
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