State and religion in Timor-Leste: Separation, cooperation, freedom and (in)equality

Abstract

The paper analyses Timor-Leste’s Law of Religion, i.e., the ensemble of legal provisions which govern the relations between the state and religious groups, as well as the exercise of freedom of conscience, religion and worship by individuals and groups in the country. For context, the paper briefly looks into Timor-Leste’s “singular historical experience”, the travaux préparatoires of the 2002 Constitution – where the “religious question” took on a significant role –, the international human rights standards to which the state is bound, and examples from foreign legal systems where Portuguese is an official language and from where Timor-Leste’s lawmakers are known to often borrow.