The head of the Department of Complaints of the Human Rights and Justice Ombudsman (PDHJ), Josefa Soares da Silva, said in 2015 her department received 80 complaints of human rights violations involving members of the national police force PNTL and from the national defence forces F-FDTL.
She added this figure was lower than in the previous year 2014, when PDHJ registered some 114 reports of human rights violations involving security and defence personnel.
“The complaints were submitted mostly by youths,” said Department Head Silva in Dili.
She explained many of the alleged cases occurred during security and defence operations where undue violence was allegedly used.
“When these incidents take place, they should file a complaint,” she added.
Regarding to the complaints, PDHJ will assess and determine under which category they fall and if they are criminal instances, these will be sent to the Ministry of Public Prosecutions.
Member of the National Parliament MP Agustinho Lay said security and defence violent incidents need to be looked into.
“Reality is showing that when there are problems the police are hitting first without asking questions. This is not good,” said MP Lay.
The MP urged security institutions to improve in this regard and warn their personnel about good behaviour so that such actions will not happen anymore.
In response to the issue, the General Commander of the National Police Timor-Leste (PNTL) Julio Hornai urged PDHJ to collect data on the Police and the F-FDTL members who commit the human rights violations.
He added that security personnel usually go down to the base based on the community’s reports.
“We go to defend people,” said Commissioner Hornai.
