Since 2001, thousands of cases have not been processed due to bottlenecks in Timor-Leste’s formal legal system. To date, the Civil and Criminal Code Procedures have been in languages few court actors speak. Translation of the two procedure codes into Tetum, a language spoken by the majority of Timor-Leste’s citizens, therefore is a big step towards making the laws more accessible to the majority of court actors and laymen.

It is with this in mind that the Asia Foundation (TAF) launched two news books recently: a bilingual Tetum-Portuguese version of the Civil Code Procedures and a Tetum explanation of the court’s responsibilities under the Criminal Code Procedures. The books will be distributed to Timor-Leste's judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and private lawyers.

“Every citizen must know their rights according to the existing law, and nobody is allowed to use force to defend his rights,” said Mr. Claudio Ximenes, the President of the Court of Appeal, upon receiving the books from TAF in mid-February. “I appreciate the assistance from TAF and USAID in providing us these books. Every justice sector worker must understand the law, and TAF and USAID have made it possible by making the Criminal and Civil Code Procedures available in Tetum,” Ximenes added.

This is just the latest in a series of legal materials that TAF is publishing and distributing to justice sector actors under the USAID-supported Access to Justice Program in Timor-Leste.

Earlier, brochures containing basic information about Penal Code Procedures and the structure of the General Prosecutor’s Office have also been distributed by TAF to judges, prosecutors, public defenders, private lawyers, Members of Parliament, as well as local leaders (chief of villages and chief of sub-villages) and Law students in the universities in Dili.

The Access to Justice program supports efforts not only to increase rural citizens’ access to legal information, but also to help disadvantaged citizens resolve criminal and civil disputes, whether through formal or informal channels. Mediation by TAF’s legal aid partners in cooperation with traditional leaders has also led to reduced caseloads for the courts, and helped prevent conflict by allowing more rapid resolution of cases.