The Ombudsman’s Office pays a heartfelt and grateful tribute to the memory of Alberto Manuel de Sequeira Leal Sampaio da Nóvoa, recalling the decisive role he played in the founding moment of this State institution for the defense of citizens’ rights. Sampaio da Nóvoa was the author of the project that gave rise to Decree-Law 212/75, which established the creation…
Vulnerable families who are part of the convergent social protection scheme are still not receiving the extraordinary support to mitigate the effects of inflation created by Decree-Law 21-A/2023 of 28 March, and the Ombudsman recently renewed her call to the Secretary of State for Public Administration in July for the problem to be resolved. The law establishes that, among others,…
On the seventy-fifth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948, the Ombudsman, in her triple capacity as guarantor of citizens’ fundamental rights before the public authorities, National Human Rights Institution and National Mechanism for the Prevention of Torture and Ill-Treatment, welcomes and reaffirms the fundamental values enshrined therein,…
The Ombudsman’s Office has suggested that parish councils offer citizens an alternative to the use of the white stamp as a means of authenticating certifying documents signed by the respective presidents, namely certificates of residence or economic situation. The recommendation came about following a complaint in which it was found that citizens may find it impossible to use these documents…
The Ombudsman, Maria Lúcia Amaral, attended the hearing requested by the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Guarantees as part of the specialised discussion of Bill 560/XV (PSD) and the other legislative initiatives under consideration – PPL 91/XV/1 (GOV) and Bill 826/XV/1.ª (PAN) – on the elections to the European Parliament: You can access the video of the hearing…
The Ombudsman submitted a request to the Constitutional Court for a declaration of unconstitutionality, with general binding force, of rules contained in Law 45/2012, of 29 August, which approves the legal regime for access to and exercise of the profession of driving examiner and the recognition of training bodies. The provisions in question are article 4(b) of the law, according…
On World Children’s Day, the Ombudsman was represented at the meeting on alternatives to the administrative detention of migrant children in Portugal, organised in Lisbon by IOM – International Organisation for Migration (the United Nations Migration Agency), by the Coordinator of the National Preventive Mechanism, Miguel Feldmann, who presented a communication entitled “The National Preventive Mechanism and the detention of…
The Deputy Ombudsman, Ravi Afonso Pereira, and Cristina Sá Costa (Head of International Relations) participated in the 109th Session of the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, held in Geneva on 18-19 April, during which there was a dialogue between the Portuguese State and the Committee on the implementation of the International Convention on the Elimination of…
The Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, received on 19 April a visit from a delegation of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey (HREIT) led by its president, Muharrem Kiliç. The visit was intended to allow the exchange of experience and good practices, particularly in the function of National Preventive Mechanism that both institutions ensure in their respective countries.
The Portuguese Ombudsperson, Maria Lúcia Amaral, and the Deputy Ombudsman, Ravi Afonso Pereira, participated in the General Assembly and Annual Conference of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions (GANHRI), that took place between 14 and 16 March, in Geneva, on the occasion of the commemorations of the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the…
