Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor)

Total prison population:

763

Country: Timor-Leste (formerly East Timor)
Ministry responsible: Ministry of Justice
Prison administration: Direcção Nacional dos Serviços Prisionais e de Reinserção Social - Timor-Leste Prisons Service (TLPS)
Contact address: Avenido Rua de Caicoli, Dili-Timor Leste
Timor-Leste
Telephone: +(670)3310153
Website: https://www.mj.gov.tl/?q=node/595
Email: dnsprs@mj.gov.tl
Head of prison administration: Helder Cosme Marçal Belo, Director of Prisons

Prison population data

Prison population total (including pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners)	763 at March 2021 (submission to UN Human Rights Council)
Prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)	55 based on an estimated national population of 1.40 million at March 2021 (from United Nations figures)
Pre-trial detainees / remand prisoners (percentage of prison population)	23.2% (April 2017)
Female prisoners (percentage of prison population)	4.1% (April 2017)
Juveniles / minors / young prisoners incl. definition (percentage of prison population)	5.5% (April 2017 - under 21)
Foreign prisoners (percentage of prison population)	3.8% (April 2017)
Number of establishments / institutions	3 (2021 - Becora prison, Gleno prison and Suai prison)
Official capacity of prison system	440 (March 2021)
Occupancy level (based on official capacity)	173.4% (March 2021)

Prison population trend

Year	Prison population total	Prison population rate
2003	c. 320	c. 35
2008	179	17
2011	260	23
2013	429	36
2015	581	47
2017	659	51
2019	715	53

Prison population total

Prison population rate

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend
Female prison population: trend

Pre-trial/remand prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the recent trend in the pre-trial/remand prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that pre-trial/remand prisoners constituted on that day.

The final column shows the pre-trial/remand population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

TIMOR-LESTE

Year	Number in pre-trial/remand imprisonment	Percentage of total prison population	Pre-trial/remand population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
2003 2009 2015	207 95 144	70.9% 42.6% 24.8%	23 9 12
2017	153	23.2%	12

It should be noted that the number of pre-trial/remand prisoners fluctuates from day to day, month to month and year to year. Consequently the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The pre-trial/remand population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

Female prison population: trend

The table below gives an indication of the trend in the female prison population. The final row shows the latest figures available.

It consists of the number of female prisoners in the prison population on a single date in the year (or the annual average) and the percentage of the total prison population that female prisoners constituted on that day.

The final column shows the female prison population rate per 100,000 of the national population.

TIMOR-LESTE

Year	Number of female prisoners	Percentage of total prison population	Female prison population rate (per 100,000 of national population)
2003 2009 2013	1 4 15	0.3% 1.8% 3.5%	0.1 0.4 1.3
2017	27	4.1%	2.1

The number of female prisoners fluctuates and so the above figures give an indication of the trend but the picture is inevitably incomplete.

The female prison population rate is calculated on the basis of the national population total. All national population figures are inevitably estimates but the estimates used in the World Prison Brief are based on official national figures, United Nations figures or figures from other recognised international authorities.

(If the rate were calculated on the basis of the number of females in the national population it would of course be approximately double the figure in the final column.)