A/HRC/34/11 Introduction 1. The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, established in accordance with Human Rights Council resolution 5/1, held its twenty-sixth session from 31 October to 11 November 2016. The review of Timor-Leste was held at the 8th meeting, on 3 November 2016. The delegation of Timor-Leste was headed by the Minister of Justice, Ivo Jorge Valente. At its 13th meeting, held on 8 November 2016, the Working Group adopted the report on Timor-Leste. 2. On 12 January 2016, the Human Rights Council selected the following group of rapporteurs (troika) to facilitate the review of Timor-Leste: China, the Netherlands and South Africa. 3. In accordance with paragraph 15 of the annex to Human Rights Council resolution 5/1 and paragraph 5 of the annex to Council resolution 16/21, the following documents were issued for the review of Timor-Leste: (a) A national report submitted/written presentation made in accordance with paragraph 15 (a) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/TLS/1); (b) A compilation prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in accordance with paragraph 15 (b) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/TLS/2); (c) A summary prepared by OHCHR in accordance with paragraph 15 (c) (A/HRC/WG.6/26/TLS/3). 4. A list of questions prepared in advance by Mexico, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was transmitted to Timor-Leste through the troika. These questions are available on the extranet of the universal periodic review. I. Summary of the proceedings of the review process A. Presentation by the State under review 5. The head of the Timor-Leste delegation, Ivo Valente, expressed deep gratitude to the United Nations for its role in promoting human rights in Timor-Leste, and welcomed the universal periodic review as an opportunity to engage in open and constructive dialogue and to reaffirm the commitment of Timor-Leste to respect, protect and promote human rights. 6. Following a tumultuous history marked by the destruction and absolute decapitalization of the country’s technical, human and financial resources, in just over a decade, Timor-Leste had transformed into an ideal of democracy, characterized by free and fair elections, a multiparty structure, decentralized power and participatory policies promoting equal rights, greater representation of women in decision-making processes, and freedom of expression, information and assembly. 7. Despite the withdrawal of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste in 2012, the Timorese authorities had continued to benefit from cooperation with United Nations bodies, particularly since the first periodic review. Timor-Leste had adopted numerous structural laws, including the Civil Code, the law on pardon, the law on strike, the Labour Code and the Media Law, created new bodies such as the Forensic Science and Criminal Investigation Police and the Chamber of Auditors, and enhanced efforts to combat 3