DILI, 29 April 2026 (TATOLI) — President José Ramos-Horta has extended deep his condolences to families and friends over the death of veteran journalist Otelio Ote, who died early Tuesday morning at the Oekuse Regional Hospital.
“It is a great loss. He was a good and humble man. I pray for him,” Ramos-Horta said. “This is a significant loss for all of us and for the country. To the bereaved family and to all journalists who have lost a dedicated colleague, I extend my deepest condolences,” he said.
A respected figure in Timor-Leste’s media landscape, Ote was among the pioneering journalists who helped shape the country’s press history.
He co-founded Timor Post, one of the nation’s leading newspapers, and was widely known for his dedication to independent journalism.
A native of Nonikan in the Oecusse Special Administrative Region, Ote was born on 31 December 1969 and completed his governance studies degree at the University of Timor-Leste (UNTIM) in 1992.
While pursuing his university studies, Ote entered journalism in 1988 by joining the weekly Suara Timor-Timur (STT).
During the period from 1992 to 1999, he worked as a journalist for Suara Timor-Timur and contributed content to Indonesian television networks RCTI and SCTV.
Otélio Ote joined the Press Council of Timor-Leste in 2021 following his election to the body and was later elected as its president.
During his tenure, Ote played a key role in advancing press freedom and strengthening professional standards in the country’s media sector.
Ote is remembered as a committed journalist whose work spanned critical periods in Timor-Leste’s history.
TATOLI
