This Country Profile provides a basic overview of the legal history and institutional structures of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste (Republika Demokratika Timor Lorosa'e (Tetum); Republica Democratica de Timor-Leste (Portuguese)), based on research produced by GlobaLex at NYU Law School and the Library of Congress. Under Timor-Leste's Constitution, Islamic law (sharīʿa or fiqh) has no legal status.
Country Background
Timor-Leste or East Timor is a sovereign state located in Southeast Asia. It is northwest of Australia in the Lesser Sunda Islands at the eastern end of the Indonesian archipelago. Timor-Leste includes the eastern half of the island of Timor, the Oecussi (Ambeno) region on the northwest portion of the island of Timor, and the islands of Pulau Atauro and Pulau Jaco. The capital of Timor-Leste is Dili. The official languages are Tatun and Portuguese. The country's population in 2017 was approximately 1.3 million. Timor-Leste is a predominantly Christian country (one of two in Southeast Asia, the other being the Philippines), with about 98% of the population Roman Catholic.
Constitution & Legal Structure
Timor-Leste is referred to as a semi-presidential republic, in which sovereignty belongs to the people and the Constitution is the supreme law of the land. The Constitution of Timor-Leste was ratified in 2002, following the liberation of the country from Portuguese colonialism (and an attempt to annex it by Indonesia that was not recognized by the United Nations). The system of government is based on principles of separation and checks and balances and has three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legal system of Timor-Leste is a civil law system based on the Portuguese model. The penal and civil law codes, which replaced the Indonesian codes, were passed by Parliament and promulgated in 2009 and 2011, respectively.
Constitutional Status of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no constitutional status in Timor-Leste.
Jurisdiction(s) of Islamic Law
Islamic law has no official jurisdiction of operation in Timor-Leste.
Dominant School of Islamic Law
Timor-Leste has no official school of Islamic law.
Sources of Law for Legal Research
Official Publications
Unofficial Databases
References:
For an extended list of legal resources for this country, see the Library of Congress’s Research Guide, and for a narrative review, see the GlobaLex Foreign Law Research Guide (most updated version, where available). The Constitution is available in the LOC Guide in its original language and at Constitute in English translation. For full versions of past constitutions, amendments, and related legislation, see HeinOnline World Constitutions Illustrated or Oxford Constitutions of the World [subscription required for each].