Timor-Leste parliament schedules cybersecurity bill debate after budget
The government is seeking legislative authorisation for a package covering digital crime, criminal proceedings and the legal framework for national cyberspace.
Timor-Leste’s National Parliament has scheduled debate on a government cybersecurity proposal for after it finishes discussing the 2027 state budget in December 2026. Parliamentary President Maria Fernanda Lay confirmed the sequence at parliament on 5 November.
Parliament has made the proposal a priority because of its importance to digital transformation and security, amid concern over online scam games. Lay said the budget discussions would take place before lawmakers turned to the cybersecurity proposal.
The government submitted the proposal on 31 July 2026, seeking legislative authorisation to approve an integrated cybersecurity package. Its scope includes offences committed in the digital sphere, associated criminal proceedings and a legal framework governing national cyberspace.
The initiative aims to give Timor-Leste a modern, coherent legal framework to respond to growing cyber threats. Its stated objectives include strengthening the state’s ability to prevent, investigate, combat and reduce computer-related crime, protecting critical infrastructure and creating a safer digital environment for citizens.
