DILI, 10 december 2024 (TATOLI) – In observance of International Human Rights Day on december 10, 2024, Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Maria Marilia da Costa, delivered a key address during an awareness-raising event at Gleno Prison. Organized by Haktanek Direitu Sidadaun (HDS), the event’s theme was “With the Commemoration of International Human Rights Day, the State Fulfills the Fundamentals Rights of Prisoners.”
The session aimed to inform prisoners about their rights within the justice system, their responsibilities in society, and the vital role of relevant institutions in protecting their rights, both during and after imprisonment.
During her speech, Maria Marilia da Costa stressed, “Prison is not a place of punishment but a place of reflection because when entering prison there are some things that limit the right to freedom of movement and living with families, but the right to good food, the right to health and the right to communicate with the family remains.”
Costa also highlighted that the Ombudsman’s inspection and monitoring team regularly visits prisons in Becora, Gleno, and Suai to ensure prisoners’ rights are upheld and to prevent ill-treatment by public service staff.
The awareness session saw the participation of various key figures, including Bartolomeu Gonçalves, Director of Inspection and Monitoring at PDHJ, representatives from the Ministry of Social Solidarity, the National Directorate of Social Reintegration (DNSPRS), and the Director of Gleno Prison, along with other relevant attendees. This initiative underscores PDHJ’s commitment to its independent mandate to protect the rights of prisoners, a vulnerable group often exposed to rights violations.
TATOLI