The National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) for Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment has made public the summaries of the reports on the visits carried out in 2023 to places of deprivation of liberty. The transparent operation of places of deprivation of liberty is fundamental to compliance with the rules that regulate the activity of these spaces,…
The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, accompanied by the Deputy Ombudsman, Estrela Chaby, participated in the 13th World Conference and General Assembly of the International Institute of Ombudsmen (IOI), events organised by the National Justice of the Netherlands, taking place in The Hague from 12 to 17 May 2024. For the first time in eight years, this World Conference brought together…
The Deputy Ombudsman Ravi Afonso Pereira, and the Adviser Sofia Duarte, took part in the General Assembly and Annual Conference of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), held between 6 and 8 May in Geneva. More than 200 representatives of national human rights institutions (NHRIs), UN agencies and civil society took part in the event, where the…
The National Preventive Mechanism, which is part of the Ombudsman’s structure and is coordinated by Miguel Feldmann, took part in the event “Monitoring Detention”, organised by JRS – Jesuit Refugee Service, which took place on 6 May at the Museu do Oriente in Lisbon. As part of this event, a Declaration of Commitment to Defend the Human Rights of Foreign…
Four legal advisers from the Ombudsman’s Office took part in the 1st edition of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) Academy, promoted by the Europe region and organised by the UK Ombudsman. This 1st edition of the IOI-Europe Academy took place on 16 and 17 January 2024 in Manchester and was particularly focused on working methods to involve and support the…
The National Preventive Mechanism (NMP) took part in the international conference “Prisons and Detention Regimes in Portugal: before and after 1974“, with a paper presented by its Coordinator, Miguel Feldmann. The event took place in the Auditorium of the Portimão Museum on 19 and 20 April, as part of “The Portuguese Prison Photo Project – 2024“, an exhibition about the…
Universal Periodic Review (2024). Ombudsman submits report on the human rights situation in Portugal
In the exercise of its mandate as the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI), in April the Ombudsman submitted the alternative report with a view to the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) to which the Portuguese state will be subject at the end of 2024. Recognised as an accredited NHRI with A status, in full compliance with the Paris Principles, the Ombudsman…
The medical certificate of multipurpose incapacity (AMIM) is today a central document in access to a series of rights granted to people with a certain degree of incapacity (generally equal to or greater than 60%), which derive from the State’s duty to promote and protect the fundamental rights of those who are in a situation of physical or mental disadvantage.…
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, attended the audience to present New Year’s greetings to the President of the Republic, which took place on 10 January at the Belém Palace in Lisbon. Also present were the President of the Constitutional Court, the President of the Supreme Court of Justice, the President of the Supreme Administrative Court, the President of the Portuguese…
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, took part as a speaker in the opening session of the final event of the project “Integrating Human Rights in Administrative Detention Centres”, organised by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), which took place in the Congress Area of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in Lisbon on 30 November. The event marked the end of the…