In her capacity as interim president of the CPLP Human Rights Network, the Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, traveled to Bissau on February 19 and 20, where she held a series of institutional meetings with the aim of strengthening bilateral cooperation and preparing the presentation and consolidation of the Network at international level, with the Global Alliance of National Human Rights…
On 5 and 6 February, the Ombudsman’s Office took part in a European meeting of peers to discuss the European Union (EU) Pact on Migration and Asylum. Organised by the Dutch Ombudsman, the event aimed to debate the implications of the Pact in the field of fundamental rights, as well as to share expectations and experiences about its impact on…
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, was heard at the Eventual Commission for the integrated follow-up of the implementation and monitoring of the Anti-Corruption Agenda. The hearing took place on 11 February at the Portuguese Parliament. To watch the hearing, click here.
The National Prevention Mechanism (MNP), which works under the auspices of the Ombudsman, is today publishing a thematic report [link] on detention conditions and procedures at National Republican Guard (GNR) territorial posts, following visits over the last two years. The report, which has already been presented to the Guard Inspectorate, outlines the MNP’s main concerns about material conditions and detention…
On 22 January, the Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, participated as a speaker at the VII Seminar on Internal Security, on the theme of ‘Human Rights and Police Activity’, an event organised by the Military Academy, at its premises in Lisbon. The Ombudsperson gave the seminar’s final lecture, which you can read here [in Portuguese only].
The Ombudsman’s Office took part in the 2nd edition of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) Academy, promoted by the Europe region and this time hosted by the Dutch Ombudsman. The event took place in The Hague on 29 January and brought together 22 participants from counterpart institutions in 18 European countries, who discussed methods and shared experiences on how to…
Faced with the persistence of complaints related to delays and difficulties in accessing fundamental support products for people with disabilities or temporary incapacity, the Ombudsman’s Office carried out a study that comprehensively examines SAPA – the System for the Allocation of Support Products. The conclusions of this study, now published in this Thematic Report (link), show that in order to…
International Human Rights Day was celebrated on 10 December, a date that marks the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by the United Nations in 1948, and with which the Ombudsman associates himself. Human rights are a matter for all of us, an everyday issue. You only have to go out into the street or watch the news…
The Ombudsman has made a recommendation to the Tax and Customs Authority (AT), urging it to review its current interpretation of Article 2(2) of the Value Added Tax (VAT) Code, with regard to the provision of wastewater sanitation services. According to the AT’s position, VAT is not levied on the provision of these services by public entities, unlike if they…
The Ombudsperson took part in the high-level international conference on the effectiveness of Ombudsmen and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs), which took place in Bled, Slovenia, on 5 and 6 December. The event marked the 30th anniversary of the Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia and brought together participants from different countries to debate contemporary challenges in the promotion and…
