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Proposta Alterasaun ba Kódigu Penál hodi Kriminaliza Defamasaun / Proposed Criminal Code additions to Criminalize Defamation and Cybercrime

Proposta Alterasaun ba Kódigu Penál hodi Kriminaliza Defamasaun no Krime Sibernetika
Proposed Criminal Code additions to Criminalize Defamation and Cybercrime

20 August 2020. Updated 15 March 2024

Contents of this page

Konteúdu pájina ida ne’e

Introduction

On 5 June 2020, the Ministry of Justice invited selected organizations (not including La'o Hamutuk) to write submissions on a proposed amendment to the Timor-Leste Penal Code which would criminalize defamation, offenses and insults, even if the target is a company or a dead person. The one-year prison sentence can be doubled or tripled if the 'victim' is a public official, or if the insult is made through traditional media or social media. Lusa reported that Minister of Justice Manuel Cáceres da Costa said that the draft is to 'kick-off' public discussion.

The preamble to the draft law explains that the Indonesian criminal defamation law was not replicated in the 2009 Timor-Leste Penal Code because memories of the repressive occupation were still fresh, but that now, more than ten years later, the rise of social media made it necessary to protect the honor and reputation of public office-holders and others.

The Ministry, which hopes to get Parliamentary authorization to enact this amendment by a closed-door meeting of the Council of Ministers, asked for written submissions within one week, by 11 June.

At the end of July, Parliament went into recess until mid-September. No bill authorizing the Council of Ministers to amend the Penal Code had been discussed.

On 3 and August, students and activists peacefully protested against the proposed defamation law, as reported by Tempo Timor, Tatoli (twice) and Lusa (photo at right).

On 11 August 2020, La'o Hamutuk met with the President of the Republic to discuss the defamation proposal. He agreed with us that education, not criminalization, is the way to get people not to insult each other. He had heard from the Government that this law is not a priority. TVe covered LH's press conference afterwards.

For the next seven months, this proposal was not mentioned in public, and it may have been dropped.

Introdusaun

Iha loron 5 Juñu 2020, Ministériu Justisa konvite organizasaun balun (la inklui La'o Hamutuk) atu hakerek submisaun sira kona-bá proposta lei atu altera Kódigu Penál RDTL atu kriminaliza difamasaun, ofensas no insultu, mezmu tárjetu ne’e kompañia ida ka ema ne’ebé mate tiha ona. Sentensa prizaun tinan ida, bele dobrada ka triplikada se ema ne’ebé sente ofendidu mak funsionáriu públiku ka se insultu halo liu husi média ka media sosiál. Lusa informa katak, Ministru Justisa Manuel Cáceres da Costa hateten ezbosu lei ne’e sei hodi provoka diskusaun públika ida.

Preambulu husi ezbosu lei ne’e esplika katak lei difamasaun kriminál husi Indonézia la replika iha Kódigu Penál Timor-Leste nian iha 2009, tanba memória husi okupasaun sei ativu hela, maibé tanba agora liu ona tinan 10, memória okupasaun nian komesa lakon ona, no ho popularidade ema uza média sosiál aumenta, entaun nesesáriu atu proteje ema nia reputasaun, liuliu ema ho kargu públiku sira.

Ministériu Justisa, hein autorizasaun husi Parlamentu Nasional atu aprova alterasaun ida ne'e iha enkontru segredu Konsellu Ministru nian, husu ba submisaun sira iha semana ida de'it, molok loron 11 fulan juñu.

Bainhira fulan Julhu remata, Parlamentu deskansa sira nia sesaun ate fulan Setembru nia klaran. Seidauk iha proposta lei ida atu autoriza Konsellu Ministru atu altera Kódigu Penál.

Iha loron 3 no 4 Agostu, estudante no ativista sira halo manifestasaun pasifika konntra proposta lei difamasaun, hanesan descreve iha Tempo Timor, Tatoli (dalarua) no Lusa (hare foto iha liman karuk).

Iha loron 11 August, La'o Hamutuk hasoru malu ho Prezidente Republika atu diskute proposta lei difamasaun. Nia konkorda ho ita katak edukasun permanente mak sei transforma sosiedade ne atitude. Prezidente Repúblika rona informasaun husi Governu katak proposta lei kona-ba defamasaun la’ós prioridade iha tempu agora. La'o Hamutuk nia konferensia pres hetan kobertura iha TVe.

Cybercrime law also proposed

In January 2021, the Prosecutor-General submitted a proposed Cybercrime Law to the Government, and sent a copy of the draft law (Port.) to Parliament. The International Center for Not-for-profit Law wrote a summary legal analysis.

In June, as Parliament began considering the proposal, La'o Hamutuk wrote an open letter to the Speaker urging him not to bring it up during the Emergency period.

Nothing was done on this law for three years, but in March 2024 Parliament and Government were discussing reviving it. 

 Proposta lei kontra Krime Sibernetika

Iha fulan Janeiru 2021, Ministériu Públiku submete proposta lei kontra Krime Sibernetika ba Governu, no haruka kopia ida husi ezbosu lei ne'e (Port.) ba Parlamentu Nasional.

Iha fulan Juñu, bainhira Parlamentu hahú atu diskute proposta lei ne'e, La'o Hamutuk hakerek karta aberta ida ba Prezidente PN no husu nia atu la lori proposta ne'e ba plenária durante tempu emerjénsia.

Durante tinan tolu, laiha asaun atu promove proposta lei ida ne'e, maibe iha Marsu 2024 Parlamentu no Governu diskute kona-ba introdus dala ida tan.

Perspectives on the defamation law

For the links below, articles in languages other than English are followed with (T(etum)) or (P(ortuguese)).

As the defamation draft circulated, many people expressed concerns through the media, including:

Komentariu balu kona-ba proposta Lei Kriminaliza Difamasaun

Bainhira ema balun rona kona-ba proposta lei ida defamasaun ne'e, sira espresa sira nia preokupasaun liu media, inklui:

  • Jose Ramos-Horta: "Ha'u haree hanesan la'ós kestaun prioritáriu ida ba Governu. Em vez de Governu ho parlamentu lakon enerjia ho tempu hodi diskuti lei foun sira, ne'ebé sei hamosu insatisfasaun ba ita nia demokrasia, di'ak liu foka iha dinamizasaun hosi ita nia ekonomia ne'ebé hanesan kompletamente paralizadu. ...  Atu ita fó liberdade total ba ita nia sosiedade hodi ko'alia no kritika. Nune'e maka primeiru-ministru tenki halo, hodi hatudu katak nia maka aas liu duké suspeita ruma hodi hakarak impede opiniaun públiku ho direitu sira hosi sidadaun sira." 9/6
        Nia mós dehan "Se ita halo tan Lei Kriminaliza Difamasaun ne’e hanesan distraksi boot no governu rasik lakon enerjia no kbi’it, di’ak liu konsentra buat ne’ebé ita hare’e urjente no prioridade duni." 23/7

  • Mari Alkatiri, Fretilin: "Tenki hein oituan hodi ami sai hosi impase polítika ne'e no tenki hanesan tolerante liu iha faze ne'e, hodi la hamosu saltu sira iha desizaun sira Governu nian. ... Konteúdu hosi proposta hanesan polémiku tebes. No hamosu asaun balun ne'ebé laiha ligasaun ho ita nia kultura no la'ós hanesan razoável iha nível sira konformasaun nian ho konstituisaun rasik. Ne'e hanesan proposta ida maibé bainhira ami aplika saida maka hakerek iha ne'e, ami bele hamosu risku direitu ba liberdade espresaun nian." 8/6

  • Joaquim dos Santos, Fretilin, Prezidente Komisaun A, Parlamentu Nasional: "Di’ak liu tenke define didi’ak, labele halo lei para hamate fali ema-nia movimentu. Ita halo lei para organiza ema, nia halo buat ruma karik tenke ser tuir dalan legál. La’ós ita halo lei ne’e halo mate fali ema-nia movimentu sidadaun nian, lae." 8/6
         Nia mós dehan "Maibé keta haluha lei ne’ebé Parlamentu ka Governu prodús karik, labele viola fali direitu seluk. Tanba ne’e mak Parlamentu atu hasai lei ida atu proposta hosi Governu ka projetu hosi deputadu sira tenke haree garantia konstitusionál ne’ebé rezerva Liberdade espresaun, Liberdade organizasaun no Liberdade direitu onra. Lei ne’ebé atu hamosu ne’e labele viola fali prinsípiu sira-ne’e." 10/6

  • Adérito Hugo da Costa, CNRT, Deputadu: "Tenke halo audiénsia ho entidade hotu-hotu liuliu komunidade mídia sira iha Timor-Leste, sosiedade sivíl no kamada sosiál hotu-hotu para rona sira-nia hanoin. ... Kontestu saida mak [Governu] hakarak introdús, ha’u labele adianta lai ha’u-nia pozisaun maibé hanesan ativista, jornalista iha tempu ne’ebá kaer ba prinsípiu deklarasaun universál direitu umanu ninian." 9/6
    also "Conselho de Imprensa iha papél importantísimu tebes hodi enfrenta tentativa sira atu introdús kontra produtivu ho ita-nia definisaun Konstituisaun RDTL." 1/7

  • Manuel Monteiro, Asosiasaun HAK: "Kuandu altera lei iha kódigu penal hodi kriminaliza difamasaun, vantajen ba sosiedade mak sei hata’uk sidadaun atu hato’o nia hanoin ligadu atu labele iha kritika ba desizaun ukun nain sira nian no dezvantajen mak sei proteje ukun nain sira duke próteze povu. Dala barak ita preokupa ema tolok arbiru, insulta ema nia privasidade arbiru iha media sosiál, maibé ida ne’e la’ós rezolve husi dalan halo Lei Kriminaliza Difamasaun." 8/6  (Submisaun 11/6)

  • Virgilio Guterres, Prezidente Conselho de Imprensa: "Conselho de Imprensa mós hakarak fó hanoin katak aleinde proposta lei ne’e atake ba iha liberdade espresaun no mós kontra espíritu Konstisaun Repúblika Demokrátika Timor-Leste (RDTL) rasik. Tanba ita-nia konstitisaun iha artigu 1, hateten katak estadu Timor-Leste ne’e estadu direitu no demokrásia. ... Husu ba govenante sira atu garante buka lei ruma ne’ebé mosu atu regula no garante liberdade sidadaun ninian, atu nune’e iha Timor-leste ne’ebé indepedente, labele tan iha sidadaun ida tama kadeia tanba de’it nia hanoin diferensa. Iha preokupasaun hosi públiku mós hateten katak liberdadede espresaun no liberdade imprensa la’os liberdade atu defama ema ka trata ema.” (Komunikadu Imprensa) 9/6
        Nia mós dehan "Saida maka inspira ita hanesan sira ne'ebé di'ak liu, referénsia sira di'ak liu. Bele konsidera sira ne'ebé aat maibé hanesan de'it referénsia katak labele kopia [husi Guiné-Bissau]." 15/6
        Nia mós dehan "Solusaun mak kansela. Esbosu ne’e gasta tempu de’it. Gasta enérjia. Depois, ita diskute buat ne’ebé ke ikus mai la fó benefísiu ba ita. Esbosu ne’e hatún ita-nia dignidade hanesan nasaun iha mundu tomak no sosiedade demokrátiku labele iha krime polítiku, labele iha prizioneiru polítiku tanba demokrasia ema hotu livre atu hato’o sira-nia opiniaun."9/7

  • Jose Luis Oliveira, AJAR: "Kona-ba esforsu governu nian atu halo lei kriminaliza difamasaun ne’e ha’u hakarak dehan, ida ne’e hanesan derrota ida ba ita-nia demokrasia no ita atu lori ita nia nasaun atu tama ba ditadura." 10/6

  • Hugo Fernandes, diretor Chega! no membru Conselho de Imprensa: "Ita hakarak sakrifika dignidade ema ida rua nian ho valor respeitu ne'ebe Timor hetan ona iha mundu laran. Ida ne'e laos esforsu ema ida ka rua nian deit, ita konsagra Konstituisaun no Lei sira ne'ebe tun mai, garante duni liberdade imprensa no espresaun entaun tenke sai konsiderasaun." 10/6
    Nia mos dehan "Altura ne'ebá ami mós halo duni rekomendasaun ba MJ katak labele kriminaliza difamasaun no di'ak liu ita avansa ho kodigu sivil." 3/7
    Nia mos dehan "A iha rekomendasaun “Chega!” nian ne’e hatete ba lei difamasaun labele sai nu’udar lei krime entaun nia konteudu ne’e oinsá mak ami husik ba Ministériu Justisa." 15/7

  • Duarte Nunes, CNRT, Deputadu: "Ita presiza hanoin didi’ak tanba ohin loron ita haree ezemplu sira iha Amérika nian prezidente mós ema ko’alia no laiha problema. Krítika kro’at ruma, sira iha Konsellu Imprensa mak tenke hodi fó sansaun maibé la presiza kriminaliza." 10/6

  • Sergio Hornai, Komisaun Anti-Korrupsaun (CAC) sujere ba Governu liuhusi Ministériu Justisa atu prioritiza prodús ezbosu lei krime sibernétika la’ós halo lei kriminaliza difamasaun. 15/6

  • Zevonia Viera, Asosiasaun Jornalista Timor Lorosa’e: "Rejeita absolutamente Ezbosu Lei Kriminilanizaun Difamasaun tamba sei hamate liberdade imprensa no liberdade espresaun iha Timor-Leste no fó-liu protesaun ba ukun-na’in sira. ...Lamenta Ministru Justisa nia komentáriu iha mídia foin lalais ne’ebé dehan ezbosu lei ne’e atu eduka sidadaun sira hodi labele halo sala. Atu eduka sidadaun sira, Governu tenke investe maka’as iha setór edukasaun, la’ós liuhusi kriminalizasaun lei difamasaun ne’ebé nu’udar eransa koloniál rejime Orde Baru no Portugés nian." 16/6

  • Manuel Pinto, Timor-Leste Press Union: "Difamasaun la devia kriminaliza. Mantein de’it buat ne’ebé uluk Governu halo ona. Ita hahú hanoin filafali hamosu lei krime sibernétika nian." 12/6

  • Paraser husi Provedora ba Direitu Umanus no Justisa(P)  "Não conseguindo o presente projeto de decreto-lei satisfazer os requisitos do artigo 19 do PIDPC e havendo já em Timor-Leste mecanismos no âmbito civil e administrativo ... a aprovação do projeto de decreto-lei estará em violação com os requisitos do artigo 24.9 da CRDTL, sendo desnecessária e desproporcional, em violação a propria constituição e aos tratados internacionais de direitos humanos.

  • Carmelita Moniz, CNRT, Deputada: "Ha’u-nia pontu de vista di’akliu se altera Kódigu Penál entaun ita kriminaliza uluk mak kazu insestu la’ós kriminaliza difamasaun. Razaun hanesan ne’e difamasaun krime ka la krime depende ba ema-ida hato’o opiniaun ka halo difamasaun ne’e. Se nia halo difamasaun ho nia prepozitu para hatún ema-nia karáter publikamente no hatún ema-nia karáter ho asasinatu, ne’e ita bele dehan krime seráke ida-ne’e razoável. Maibé, se ema-ne’e hato’o buat ida publikamente maibé ba hahalok ida-ne’ebé ke loos." 18/6

  • Sergio Quintas, Defensor Públiku: "Ha’u hanoin la nesesáriu kriminaliza difamasaun, tanba Timor-Leste ne’e país ida ne’ebé demokrátika, ita la bele bazeia ba país ne’ebé podér ida no nusa mak ita la mantein, kuandu sidadaun ida sente katak nia vida privada reputasaun ne’e ema viola bele hatama asaun sivíl ida tanba kódigu sivíl ne’e estabelese ona." 22/6

  • Fr. Juvito do Rego de J. Araujo: "Atu halo lei kriminaliza difamasaun presiza iha definisaun klara atu labele teri netik liberdade imprensa no liberdade espresaun." 23/6

  • Joao Boavida, Sentru Estudu ba Pas no Dezenvolvimentu (CEPAD): "Se ezbosu ne’e sira aprova duni, sei ‘blokeia’ implementasaun Lei Antí Korrupsaun (LAK) tanba lei krimializa difamasaun ne’e defende hela sira-ne’ebé kaer ukun ne’e.” 2/7. Mos Tatoli 17/7

  • Abel Pires, PLP, Deputadu: "Timor-Leste presiza duni lei tranzasaun elektróniku no Cybercrime tanba depois de ita akonpaña, kuaze ema barak mak halo ID falsu hodi insulta, tolok, hatún lider sira-nia dignidade, buat sira ne'e mak PN sei koordena ho MTK atu bele haree kestaun ida ne'e." 2/7

  • Casmiro dos Santos, JSMP: "“Ami hato’o ona paresér ba Ministériu nian atu kriminaliza difamasaun.” 3/7; Paraser 16/6

  • Antoninho Bianco, Fretilin, Deputadu: "“Ha’u konkorda ho esbosu-lei kriminaliza difamasaun tanba difama ema ne’e krime. Esbosu-lei ne’e hanesan konseitu ida tanba Governu hanoin katak difama ema ne’e tuir konstituisaun krime.” 3/7

  • Zevonia Vieira, Prezidente Asosiasaun Jornalista Timor Leste (AJTL): "Jornalista mak sei sai alvu ba iha lei kriminalizasaun defamasaun tanba jornalista mak sei transmite informasaun hosi fonte ba públiku. TL nia liberdade imprensa no espresaun iha Sudueste Aziatiku hetan ranking 1 no iha mundiál ita hetan númeru 78. Ida-ne’e imajén ne’ebé di’ak tebes tanba ita moris iha nasaun ne’ebé demokratiku ho ita-nia konstituisaun ne’ebé di’ak no hetan ranking ne’ebé di’ak. Ita hotu espera, ita-nia rangking sei la monu tanba de’it lei kriminaliza difamasaun." 4/7

  • José Agostinho da Costa Belo, Reitór Universidade Dili (UNDIL): "Demokrasia iha nasaun modernu sira bele la’o maibé ita presiza haree mós kondisaun ne’ebé la hanesan ho nasaun sira iha rai-liur tanba ne’e mak ita presiza halibur hanoin katak bainhira lei ne’e sai karik ita hotu bele tuir tanba reprezenta timor-oan hotu." 5/7

  • Ato "Lekinawa" da Costa: "Demokrasia hatuur ona katak ukun ne’e povo nian, no kontratu ba ukun ne’e povo halo liu hosi nia reprezentante sira. Esforsu ba kriminaliza defamasaun ne’e domina ho hanoin dignidade aristokrasia nian hodi proteze tronu ukun. Demokrasia enkuadra hanoin fundamental ida katak ema hotu iha dignidade hanesan, maibe ida ne’e atu mout dadaun." 12/7

  • Jose Lino Pereira, Front Mahasiswa: "Ami nota katak Ministeru Justisa, Manuel Carceres iha inisiativa boot, hodi halakon sistema demokrasia ne’ebe mak sosa ho ruin no ra’an, tanto mos ami hare’e katak Ministeriu Justisa tenta atu lori povu ida ne’e, hodi refleta fila fali ba tempu ditadura Salazar no Soeharto nian." 13/7

  • Arão Noé de Jesus da Costa Amaral, CNRT, Deputadu: "Agora ita hakarak Kódigu Sívil ba fali Kódigu Penál para bele tau hanesan krime públiku ida, ne’e ita hakiduk fila-fali ba kotuk hanesan era Sueharto (Indonézia) no era Salazar (Portugál) nian. Katak, ita komesa proibe ona Liberdade ema-nian atu halo espresaun. Se líder ruma sente prezudikadu bele halo keixa tanba Kódigu Sívil garante, la presiza kriminaliza ba asaun. Tanba ne’e, ha’u kontra prinsípiu ida-ne’e tanba demokrasia ne’e lakon tiha ona. Se ita halo ida-ne’e Liberdade espresaun no Liberdade imprensa laiha ona."16/7.  Iha Independente 17/7

  • Daniel do Santos Carmo, NGO Forum: "Ita hamriik hamutuk hodi kontra lei ne'e tanba ita hatene katak lei ne'e hamate liberdade povu hotu nian." 4/8

From the Government perspective

Husi perspetiva Governu nian

Submissions

The Ministry of Justice has received submissions from several organizations, all of whom urged the government not to adopt this proposed law.

  • La'o Hamutuk's 5-page submission pointed out that this law

    • Weakens democracy

    • Violates international conventions and the RDTL Constitution

    • Limits people's ability to discuss important matters with fellow citizens

    • Recalls the repression during the Indonesian occupation

    • Would be enacted hidden from public view (avoiding the more transparent Parliament)

    • Deters people, especially the most vulnerable or powerless, from reporting wrongdoing

    • Intimidates or represses civil society organizations like La'o Hamutuk from discussing issues publicly

    • Is unnecessary because other mechanisms (civil lawsuits, the Press Council, the 'Slanderous Denunciation' law) already handle the problem

    La'o Hamutuk also pointed out that when someone decides to seek public office, with access to public funds and power over other people's lives, they should take responsibility for their decisions and accept that they may be criticized.

  • FONGTIL(T) (the NGO Forum)

  • HAK Association(T)

  • Judicial System Monitoring Program (JSMP)

  • Ombudsman for Human Rights and Justice (also P)

  • International Federation of Journalists

On 15 June, La'o Hamutuk wrote an open letter(T) to every Member of Parliament with a revised version of our submission.

On 13 August, the civil society Movement Against the Criminalisation of Defamation and Injury (MKKDI) presented a petition to the President of the Council of Ministers.

Submisaun sira

Organizasaun balu hakerek submisaun sira ba Ministériu Justisa, no sira hotu ezije Governu la aprova ezbosu lei ida ne'e:

  • La'o Hamutuk nia submisaun ho pajina lima hatete katak lei ida ne'e

    • Hafraku demokrasia

    • Viola konvensaun internasionál sira no Konstituisaun RDTL nian

    • Prevene povu atu diskute asuntu importante sira ho sidadaun sira seluk

    • Lembra fali represaun durante okupasaun Indonézia nian

    • Prosesu aprova la loke ba públiku (la liu Parlamentu Nasional transparente)

    • Bele prevene ema, liu liu ema vulnerable ka kbiit laek, atu ko’alia ba autoridade kona-ba atividade sala

    • Bele hata'uk ka hamate organizasaun sosiedade sivíl sira hanesan La'o Hamutuk atu diskute asuntu sira iha públiku

    • La nesesáriu tanba iha mekanizmu sira seluk (alegasaun sivíl, Konsellu Imprensa, Lei “Denúncia Caluniosa”)

    La'o Hamutuk mós esplika bainhira ema deside atu hetan kargu públiku, simu saláriu husi osan povu nia no hetan lisensa atu halo desizaun ne’ebé afeta povu nia moris, sira mós tenke ser simu responsabilidade balun. Se ema sira ne’e la prontu atu simu kritiku, tuir loloos sira la ba buka kargu boot.

  • FONGTIL

  • Asosiasaun HAK

  • Programa Monitorizasaun ba Sistema Judisiariu (JSMP)

  • Provedora ba Direitu Umanu no Justisa(P)

  • International Federation of Journalists(E)

Iha loron 15 Juñu, La'o Hamutuk hakerek karta aberta ida ba Deputada/u sira hotu ho ami nia submisaun atualizadu.

Iha loron 13 Agostu, Movimentu Kontra Kriminaliza Difamasaun no Injuria (MKKDI) aprezenta petisaun ida ba Prezidente Konsellu Ministru.

 

International organizations have also expressed concern about the proposal, including:

Organizasaun internasionál balun mós espresa sira nia preokupasaun, inklui:

Documents

Dokumentu

Analysis and commentary in English (newest first)

Analiza no komentáriu iha lian Tetum
The Timor-Leste Institute for Development Monitoring and Analysis (La’o Hamutuk)
Institutu Timor-Leste ba Analiza no Monitor ba Dezenvolvimentu
Rua D. Alberto Ricardo, Bebora, Dili, Timor-Leste
P.O. Box 340, Dili, Timor-Leste
Tel: +670-3321040 or +670-77234330
email:laohamutuk@gmail.com  Web:https://www.laohamutuk.org  Blog:laohamutuk.blogspot.com  Facebook