National procedures re enforcement of sentences imposed

Portugal

Law No. 144/99, of 31 August, on International Judicial Cooperation in Criminal Matters

Part IV
Enforcement of criminal judgements

CHAPTER I
Enforcement of foreign criminal judgements

Article 95
Principle
1. Final and enforceable foreign criminal judgements may be enforced in Portugal under the conditions laid down in this law.
2. The request for delegation must be made by the sentencing State.

Article 96
Specific requirements
1. Any request for the enforcement in Portugal of a foreign criminal judgement shall be admissible only subject to the general requirements provided for in this law, as well as the following requirements:
a) a sentence imposing a criminal reaction must have been rendered for an offence in respect of which the foreign State has jurisdiction;
b) if the sentence was pronounced during a trial in the absence of the sentenced person, the later must have been given the legal possibility of requesting a new trial or introducing an appeal;

c) the enforcement of the sentence must not run counter to the fundamental principles of the Portuguese legal system;
d) the facts involved must not be the subject of criminal proceedings in Portugal;
e) the facts involved must amount to a criminal offence under Portuguese law;
f) the sentenced person must be a Portuguese national, or otherwise must have his habitual residence in Portugal;

g) the enforcement of the sentence in Portugal must be justified in terms of a better chance of, either the rehabilitation of the sentenced person, or compensation for damages caused by the offence;

h) the sentencing State must have provided guarantees that, once the sentence has been enforced in Portugal, it shall consider the criminal liability of the person concerned to be extinguished;

i) the term to be served under the sentence must not be less than one year or, in case of a pecuniary sanction, it should correspond at least to the equivalent of 30 units of account in criminal procedure;

j) where the sentence involves deprivation of liberty, the sentenced person must give his consent.
2. Without prejudice to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a foreign judgement may also be enforced in Portugal if the person concerned is already serving in Portugal a sentence for any offence other than the offence for which the foreign judgement was passed.
3. The enforcement in Portugal of a foreign sentence involving deprivation of liberty shall also be admissible, even where the requirements provided for in paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs g) and j) above are not met, if, in case of escape to Portugal or other situation in which the person is present in Portugal, the extradition of the person concerned, for the offence for which he was sentenced, has been refused.

4. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall also apply, subject to an agreement between Portugal and the foreign State concerned, once the person concerned has been heard, to the cases in which expulsion will be imposed once the sentence has been served.

5. The requirement provided for in paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i), may be dispensed with in special cases, notably where the health of the sentenced person, or reasons pertaining to his family or his profession, so dictate.
6. The enforcement of the sentence may however take place, notwithstanding the requirements provided for in paragraph 1, when Portugal, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 32, will have previously extradited a Portuguese national.

Article 97
Execution of decisions taken by administrative authorities
1. Final decisions taken in proceedings for offences as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 1 may also be enforced, where the person concerned was given the possibility of appealing to a judicial authority.

2. The communication of requests shall be made according to the provisions of treaties, conventions or agreements to which Portugal is a party or, otherwise, through the Central Authority in accordance with the provisions of this law.

Article 98
Limits to the enforcement
1. The enforcement of a foreign judgement shall be limited to:
a) the enforcement of a sentence involving deprivation of liberty and, subject to property belonging to the sentenced person having been found in Portugal, the enforcement of a sentence involving the payment of a sum of money;
b) the confiscation of proceeds, objects or instrumentalities of the offence;
c) the enforcement of any decision concerning civil law compensation should the claimant request it.
2. Any order to the effect of exacting the legal costs shall be limited to the costs due to the requesting State.

3. The enforcement of a sentence involving the payment of a sum of money implies the conversion of the amount thereof into escudos at the rate of exchange ruling at the day when the decision reviewing and confirming the sentence was taken.
4. Ancillary sanctions and disqualifications shall be enforced only if enforcement can have practical effects in Portugal.

Article 99
Documents and procedure
1. The request must be submitted by the Central Authority to the Minister of Justice for examination.

2. The request must be accompanied by a certificate or an authenticated copy of the judgement to be enforced, the statement of consent of the person concerned where the provisions of sub-paragraph j) of paragraph 1 of Article 96 apply, as well as information concerning the length of provisional arrest or the length of the sentence already served.
3. If the judgement concerns more than one person or imposes several criminal reactions, the request shall be accompanied by a certificate or an authenticated copy of that part of the judgement in respect of which enforcement is sought.
4. Should the Minister of Justice deem the request admissible, the file must be forwarded via the Attorney-General to the public prosecutor attached to the competent ""Tribunal da Relação"l" in accordance with the provisions of Article 235 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for the public prosecutor to promote the implementation of the procedure concerning review and confirmation of the judgement.

5. The public prosecutor shall request that the sentenced person, or his counsel, be heard and state their views on the request, unless consent has already been given by that person or unless the original request for the delegation of powers to enforce came from that person.




Article 100
Review and confirmation of foreign judgements
1. Foreign judgements shall be enforceable only after they are reviewed and confirmed, according to the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the provisions of sub-paragraphs a) and c) of paragraph 2 of Article 6 of this law.
2. When deciding on the review and confirmation of a foreign judgement, the court shall:

a) be bound by the findings as to the facts, insofar as they are deemed to be proved by the foreign judgement;

b) not convert a sanction involving deprivation of liberty into a pecuniary sanction;

c) in no circumstances aggravate the sanction imposed by the foreign court.

3. If the court deems that the facts are not clear, or are insufficient, or that there are facts that are missing, it shall request the necessary supplementary information; confirmation of the judgement shall be denied where the information mentioned in the preceding paragraph is not possible to obtain.

4. The co-operation procedures provided for in this Chapter shall be of an urgent nature and shall not be interrupted during periods of judicial recess.
5. Where the request concerns a person under arrest, a decision must be taken within six months of the date in which the request reached the court.
6. Where the request concerns the enforcement of a sentence involving deprivation of liberty, in the cases mentioned in paragraph 5 of Article 96, the delay provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be shortened to two months.
7. If an appeal is made, the delays mentioned in paragraphs 5 and 6 above shall be extended respectively by three months and one month.

Article 101
Applicable law; effects of enforcement
1. Foreign judgements shall be enforced in conformity with the Portuguese law.
2. Foreign judgements enforced in Portugal shall produce the same effects that the Portuguese law accords to judgements rendered by Portuguese courts.
3. Only the foreign State that requests the enforcement of a sentence shall have the right to decide on any application for review of that sentence.
4. Both the foreign State and Portugal may exercise the right of amnesty, pardon or commutation.

5. The court which is empowered to enforce the judgement shall end the enforcement:

a)as soon as it comes to its knowledge that the sentenced person was granted amnesty, pardon or commutation in such a way as to justify the end of the enforcement of the sentence and the ancillary sanctions;

b) where it comes to its knowledge that an application was lodged for review of the sentence or of any other decision, if that application might result in a decision that renders the sentence unenforceable;

c)if it concerns a pecuniary sanction and the sentenced person pays the amount of the sanction in the requesting State.
6. Partial pardon, commutation and the substitution of the sanction with an alternative sanction shall be taken into consideration.
7. The foreign State must inform the court of any of the facts mentioned in paragraphs 5 above that might result in the enforcement being discontinued.
8. As soon as enforcement begins in Portugal, the requesting State must relinquish its right to enforce the same judgement; the right of enforcement shall however revert to the latter State (a) where the sentenced person escapes and (b) where that State is informed that the sentence, if it involves the payment of a sum of money cannot be totally or partially enforced.

Article 102
Prison in which the sanction shall be enforced
1. When a decision to the effect of confirming the foreign sentence becomes final and enforceable, and if that decision involves deprivation of liberty, the public prosecutor shall take measures to ensure that the person is brought to the prison which is closest to the person's place of residence in Portugal, or to his latest place of residence in Portugal.
2. If it is not possible to identify that person's place of residence in Portugal, or his latest place of residence in Portugal, he shall be taken to one of the prisons situated in the judicial area of Lisbon.

Article 103
Court competent for the enforcement
1. The court of first instance of the judicial area where the sentenced person has his residence in Portugal, or where he had his latest residence in Portugal, shall be empowered to enforce the sentence, as reviewed and confirmed; should it not be possible to identify any such residence, the court of first instance of Lisbon shall be thus empowered.

2. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply without prejudice to the specific powers of the "Tribunal de Execução de Penas" (court of supervision of the enforcement of sanctions).
3. For the purposes of the provisions of paragraph 1 above, the "Tribunal da Relação" shall forward the file to the court which is empowered to enforce the sentence.

Part IV
Enforcement of criminal judgements

CHAPTER IV
Transfer of sentenced persons

Section II
Transfer out


Article 117
Information and supporting documents
1. Where the person concerned expresses his interest in being transferred to a foreign State, the Central Authority shall so inform that State with a view to obtaining its agreement; that information shall include:
a) name, date and place of birth, and nationality of the person concerned;
b) his address in that State, where applicable;

c) a statement of the facts upon which the sentence was based;
d) the nature and duration of and date in which the person started serving the sanction or measure.

2. The following information shall also be forwarded to the foreign State:

a) a certificate or an authenticated copy of the sentence and of the text of the legal provisions that apply to the case;
b) a statement indicating the duration of the sanction or measure that was already served, duration of provisional arrest, reduction of the sentence and any other facts pertaining to the enforcement of the sentence;

c) a statement on the consent of the person concerned to be transferred;

d) if applicable, any medical or social report relating to the person concerned and in particular to any medical treatment undergone by that person in Portugal and any recommendations as to the continuation of such treatment.

Article 118

Powers
1. The Public Prosecutor at the Court for Execution of Penalties having jurisdiction, on his own initiative or at the request of the applicant, shall process the request for transfer.

2. Requests for transfer must be forwarded as soon as the sentence becomes enforceable.

3. Requests shall be forwarded by the Attorney-General's Office to the Minister of Justice for examination.

4. Where the circumstances of the case so justify, the Minister of Justice may request an opinion from the Attorney-General's Office, the prison administration and the Institute for Social Rehabilitation; the opinions requested shall be produced within 10 days.

5. The person concerned shall be informed in writing of all the decisions taken subsequent to the request.

Article 119
Request and supporting documents
1. Where a person expressed to a foreign State the wish to be transferred, that State should forward, with the request, the following documents:
a) a statement indicating that the sentenced person either is a national of that State or has his habitual residence on its territory;
b) a copy of the legal provisions from which it can be assumed that the facts upon which the Portuguese sentence was based also amount to a punishable offence in that State;
c) any other pertinent documents.
2. The information listed in paragraph 2 of Article 117 shall be forwarded to the foreign State, save if the request is summarily rejected.

Article 120
Decision
1. Where the Minister of Justice deems the request to be admissible, it shall be forwarded by the Attorney-General's Office to the public prosecutor attached to the "Tribunal da Relação" that has jurisdiction in the area of the prison where the person concerned is.

2.. The public prosecutor shall take steps to ensure that the person concerned is heard by the judge; the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the hearing of arrested persons shall apply.

3. The ""Tribunal da Relação" shall take a decision on the request, after having determined that the person concerned, fully knowledgeable of the legal consequences thereof, voluntarily consented to his transfer.

4. A consular agent or any official appointed with the agreement of the foreign state shall be granted the possibility of verifying whether or not the consent was given in conformity with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 121
Effects of transfer
1. The transfer of the person to a foreign State shall have the effect of suspending the enforcement of the sentence in Portugal.
2. Portugal may no longer enforce the sentence after the person has been transferred if the foreign State communicates that a judicial decision has deemed the sentence as having been fully enforced.

3. Where any court applies a measure of amnesty, pardon or commutation, the foreign State shall be informed accordingly through the Central Authority.


Section III

Transfer in

Article 122
Request
1. Where a person sentenced in a foreign State expresses his wish to be transferred to Portugal, the Attorney-General shall forward to the Minister of Justice the information mentioned in Article 117 that he will have received from that State for the purpose of the Minister examining the admissibility of the request.

2. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall also apply in the cases in which the request comes from the foreign State.
3. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion from the Attorney-General's Office, the prison administration and the Institute for Social Rehabilitation; the opinions requested shall be produced within 10 days.
4. The provisions of paragraph 5 of Article 118 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 123
Specific requirements
1. Once a request for transfer to Portugal is accepted, the file shall be forwarded through the Attorney-General's Office to the public prosecutor at the ""Tribunal da Relação" which has jurisdiction in the place of residence indicated by the person concerned, in order to engage a procedure of revision and confirmation of foreign sentence.
2. When the judicial decision on the review and confirmation of the foreign sentence becomes enforceable, that decision shall be transmitted by the Central Authority to the requesting State for the purpose of the transfer being carried out.

Section IV

Information concerning the enforcement and transit

Article 124
Information on the enforcement
1. All information concerning the enforcement of the sentence shall be transmitted to the requesting State; that information shall include:
a) the date on which enforcement of the sentenced has been completed, as decided upon by way of a judicial decision;
b) if applicable, notice of the escape of the person concerned prior to the sentence having been fully enforced.
2. At the request of the State that requested the transfer, a special report on the way in which enforcement took place and the results thereof, shall be forwarded to it.

Article 125
Transit
Authorisation for the transit through the Portuguese territory of a person being transferred from one State to another may be granted, at the request of any such State; the provisions of Article 43 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Part V
Supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders

CHAPTER I
General


Article 126
Principles

1. International co-operation with a view to the supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders habitually resident on the territory of the State to which such co-operation is requested, shall be admissible under the terms of the provisions of the Articles that follow.

2. Co-operation as mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall aim at:

a) facilitating the social rehabilitation of the offender through the adoption of adequate measures;
b) supervising the behaviour of the person concerned with a view either to order a criminal reaction on that person or to enforce a criminal reaction already ordered.


Article 127
Subject-matter

1. Co-operation provided for in this Part may consist in one of the following modalities:

a) supervision of the sentenced person;
b) supervision and eventual enforcement of the sentence, or
c) full enforcement of the sentence.

2. Where a request for co-operation under one of the above-mentioned modalities is received, it may be refused and one of the other modalities, if deemed to be more adequate, proposed in its stead; such a counter-proposal shall have no effect unless it is accepted by the requesting State.


Article 128
Competence

Co-operation shall be made subject to a request from the State on whose territory the judgement was rendered.


Article 129
Double incrimination

The offence with respect to which the request for co-operation is made must be punishable under both the law of the requesting and the requested State.


Article 130
Optional refusal

Notwithstanding the general requirements provided for in this law, co-operation requested to Portugal may be refused if:

a) the decision with respect to which the request is made was taken in absentia and there was no legal possibility to have a new trial or for an appeal;
b) that decision is not compatible with the underlying principles of the Portuguese criminal law, notably if in view of the age of the person concerned, that person shall not have been subject to criminal proceedings in Portugal.


Article 131
Request

1. Any request made to Portugal shall be submitted by the Central Authority to the Minister of Justice.

2. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion from any agency that is empowered to follow the measures imposed in the sentence.

3. If the Minister of Justice accepts the request, the Attorney-General's Office shall forward it to the public prosecutor attached to the ""Tribunal da Relação" that has jurisdiction in the area of the residence of the person concerned for obtaining a judicial decision on the admissibility of the request.


Article 132
Information

1. The decision on the request for co-operation shall be immediately communicated by the Central Authority to the requesting State and, in case of total or partial refusal, reasons shall be given.

2. Where the request is accepted, the Central Authority shall also communicate to the requesting State any circumstances that might affect either the implementation of the supervision measures or the enforcement of the sentence.

Part V
Supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders

CHAPTER VI
Common provisions


Article 143
Procedure and decision

1. The provisions of Part IV relating to the enforcement of criminal judgements, in particular those concerning examination of requests by the Ministry of Justice, jurisdiction of the Portuguese courts, procedure and effects of enforcement, shall apply mutatis mutandis to requests of co-operation as provided for in this Part.

2. The provisions relating to the consent of the person concerned shall not apply to cases where a request for supervision alone is at stake.

3. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion to the Attorney-General's Office or the Institute for Social Rehabilitation before deciding on the request.

Part IV
Enforcement of criminal judgements

CHAPTER I
Enforcement of foreign criminal judgements

Article 95
Principle

1. Final and enforceable foreign criminal judgements may be enforced in Portugal under the conditions laid down in this law.

2. The request for delegation must be made by the sentencing State.

Article 96
Specific requirements

1. Any request for the enforcement in Portugal of a foreign criminal judgement shall be admissible only subject to the general requirements provided for in this law, as well as the following requirements :

a) a sentence imposing a criminal reaction must have been rendered for an offence in respect of which the foreign State has jurisdiction ;
b) if the sentence was pronounced during a trial in the absence of the sentenced person, the later must have been given the legal possibility of requesting a new trial or introducing an appeal ;
c) the enforcement of the sentence must not run counter to the fundamental principles of the Portuguese legal system ;
d) the facts involved must not be the subject of criminal proceedings in Portugal ;
e) the facts involved must amount to a criminal offence under Portuguese law ;
f) the sentenced person must be a Portuguese national, or otherwise must have his habitual residence in Portugal ;
g) the enforcement of the sentence in Portugal must be justified in terms of a better chance of, either the rehabilitation of the sentenced person, or compensation for damages caused by the offence ;
h) the sentencing State must have provided guarantees that, once the sentence has been enforced in Portugal, it shall consider the criminal liability of the person concerned to be extinguished ;
i) the term to be served under the sentence must not be less than one year or, in case of a pecuniary sanction, it should correspond at least to the equivalent of 30 units of account in criminal procedure ;
j) where the sentence involves deprivation of liberty, the sentenced person must give his consent.

2. Without prejudice to the provisions of the preceding paragraph, a foreign judgement may also be enforced in Portugal if the person concerned is already serving in Portugal a sentence for any offence other than the offence for which the foreign judgement was passed.

3. The enforcement in Portugal of a foreign sentence involving deprivation of liberty shall also be admissible, even where the requirements provided for in paragraph 1, sub-paragraphs g) and j) above are not met, if, in case of escape to Portugal or other situation in which the person is present in Portugal, the extradition of the person concerned, for the offence for which he was sentenced, has been refused.

4. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall also apply, subject to an agreement between Portugal and the foreign State concerned, once the person concerned has been heard, to the cases in which expulsion will be imposed once the sentence has been served.

5. The requirement provided for in paragraph 1, sub-paragraph i), may be dispensed with in special cases, notably where the health of the sentenced person, or reasons pertaining to his family or his profession, so dictate.

6. The enforcement of the sentence may however take place, notwithstanding the requirements provided for in paragraph 1, when Portugal, in accordance with the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 32, will have previously extradited a Portuguese national.

Article 97
Execution of decisions taken by administrative authorities

1. Final decisions taken in proceedings for offences as mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 1 may also be enforced, where the person concerned was given the possibility of appealing to a judicial authority.

2. The communication of requests shall be made according to the provisions of treaties, conventions or agreements to which Portugal is a party or, otherwise, through the Central Authority in accordance with the provisions of this law.

Article 98
Limits to the enforcement

1. The enforcement of a foreign judgement shall be limited to :

a) the enforcement of a sentence involving deprivation of liberty and, subject to property belonging to the sentenced person having been found in Portugal, the enforcement of a sentence involving the payment of a sum of money ;
b) the confiscation of proceeds, objects or instrumentalities of the offence ;
c) the enforcement of any decision concerning civil law compensation should the claimant request it.

2. Any order to the effect of exacting the legal costs shall be limited to the costs due to the requesting State.

3. The enforcement of a sentence involving the payment of a sum of money implies the conversion of the amount thereof into escudos at the rate of exchange ruling at the day when the decision reviewing and confirming the sentence was taken.4. Ancillary sanctions and disqualifications shall be enforced only if enforcement can have practical effects in Portugal.

Article 99
Documents and procedure

1. The request must be submitted by the Central Authority to the Minister of Justice for examination.

2. The request must be accompanied by a certificate or an authenticated copy of the judgement to be enforced, the statement of consent of the person concerned where the provisions of sub-paragraph j) of paragraph 1 of Article 96 apply, as well as information concerning the length of provisional arrest or the length of the sentence already served.

3. If the judgement concerns more than one person or imposes several criminal reactions, the request shall be accompanied by a certificate or an authenticated copy of that part of the judgement in respect of which enforcement is sought.

4. Should the Minister of Justice deem the request admissible, the file must be forwarded via the Attorney-General to the public prosecutor attached to the competent ""Tribunal da Relação"l" in accordance with the provisions of Article 235 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, for the public prosecutor to promote the implementation of the procedure concerning review and confirmation of the judgement.

5. The public prosecutor shall request that the sentenced person, or his counsel, be heard and state their views on the request, unless consent has already been given by that person or unless the original request for the delegation of powers to enforce came from that person.

Article 100
Review and confirmation of foreign judgements

1. Foreign judgements shall be enforceable only after they are reviewed and confirmed, according to the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the provisions of sub-paragraphs a) and c) of paragraph 2 of Article 6 of this law.

2. When deciding on the review and confirmation of a foreign judgement, the court shall be bound by the findings as to the facts, insofar as they are deemed to be proved by the foreign judgement ;
shall not convert a sanction involving deprivation of liberty into a pecuniary sanction ;
shall in no circumstances aggravate the sanction imposed by the foreign court.

3. If the court deems that the facts are not clear, or are insufficient, or that there are facts that are missing, it shall request the necessary supplementary information; confirmation of the judgement shall be denied where the information mentioned in the preceding paragraph is not possible to obtain.

4. The co-operation procedures provided for in this Chapter shall be of an urgent nature and shall not be interrupted during periods of judicial recess.

5. Where the request concerns a person under arrest, a decision must be taken within six months of the date in which the request reached the court.

6. Where the request concerns the enforcement of a sentence involving deprivation of liberty, in the cases mentioned in paragraph 5 of Article 96, the delay provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be shortened to two months.7. If an appeal is made, the delays mentioned in paragraphs 5 and 6 above shall be extended respectively by three months and one month.

Article 101
Applicable law ; effects of enforcement

1. Foreign judgements shall be enforced in conformity with the Portuguese law.

2. Foreign judgements enforced in Portugal shall produce the same effects that the Portuguese law accords to judgements rendered by Portuguese courts.

3. Only the foreign State that requests the enforcement of a sentence shall have the right to decide on any application for review of that sentence.4. Both the foreign State and Portugal may exercise the right of amnesty, pardon or commutation.

5. The court which is empowered to enforce the judgement shall end the enforcement :
as soon as it comes to its knowledge that the sentenced person was granted amnesty, pardon or commutation in such a way as to justify the end of the enforcement of the sentence and the ancillary sanctions ;
where it comes to its knowledge that an application was lodged for review of the sentence or of any other decision, if that application might result in a decision that renders the sentence unenforceable ;
if it concerns a pecuniary sanction and the sentenced person pays the amount of the sanction in the requesting State.

6. Partial pardon, commutation and the substitution of the sanction with an alternative sanction shall be taken into consideration.

7. The foreign State must inform the court of any of the facts mentioned in paragraphs 5 above that might result in the enforcement being discontinued.

8. As soon as enforcement begins in Portugal, the requesting State must relinquish its right to enforce the same judgement ; the right of enforcement shall however revert to the latter State (a) where the sentenced person escapes and (b) where that State is informed that the sentence, if it involves the payment of a sum of money cannot be totally or partially enforced.

Article 102
Prison in which the sanction shall be enforced

1. When a decision to the effect of confirming the foreign sentence becomes final and enforceable, and if that decision involves deprivation of liberty, the public prosecutor shall take measures to ensure that the person is brought to the prison which is closest to the person's place of residence in Portugal, or to his latest place of residence in Portugal.

2. If it is not possible to identify that person's place of residence in Portugal, or his latest place of residence in Portugal, he shall be taken to one of the prisons situated in the judicial area of Lisbon.

Article 103
Court competent for the enforcement

1. The court of first instance of the judicial area where the sentenced person has his residence in Portugal, or where he had his latest residence in Portugal, shall be empowered to enforce the sentence, as reviewed and confirmed ; should it not be possible to identify any such residence, the court of first instance of Lisbon shall be thus empowered.

2. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall apply without prejudice to the specific powers of the "Tribunal de Execução de Penas" (court of supervision of the enforcement of sanctions).

3. For the purposes of the provisions of paragraph 1 above, the ""Tribunal da Relação"l" shall forward the file to the court which is empowered to enforce the sentence.

Part IV
Enforcement of criminal judgements

CHAPTER IV
Transfer of sentenced persons

Section II
Transfer out

Article 117
Information and supporting documents

1. Where the person concerned expresses his interest in being transferred to a foreign State, the Central Authority shall so inform that State with a view to obtaining its agreement; that information shall include :

a) name, date and place of birth, and nationality of the person concerned ;
b) his address in that State, where applicable ;
c) a statement of the facts upon which the sentence was based ;
d) the nature and duration of and date in which the person started serving the sanction or measure.

2. The following information shall also be forwarded to the foreign State : a certificate or an authenticated copy of the sentence and of the text of the legal provisions that apply to the case ; a statement indicating the duration of the sanction or measure that was already served, duration of provisional arrest, reduction of the sentence and any other facts pertaining to the enforcement of the sentence ; a statement on the consent of the person concerned to be transferred ; if applicable, any medical or social report relating to the person concerned and in particular to any medical treatment undergone by that person in Portugal and any recommendations as to the continuation of such treatment.

Article 118
Powers

1. The public prosecutor at the court for Execution of Penalties having jurisdiction, on his own initiative or at the request of the applicant, shall process the request for transfer.

2. Requests for transfer must be forwarded as soon as the sentence becomes enforceable.

3. Requests shall be forwarded by the Attorney-General's Office to the Minister of Justice for examination.

4. Where the circumstances of the case so justify, the Minister of Justice may request an opinion from the Attorney-General's Office, the prison administration and the Institute for Social Rehabilitation ; the opinions requested shall be produced within 10 days.

5. The person concerned shall be informed in writing of all the decisions taken subsequent to the request.

Article 119
Request and supporting documents

1. Where a person expressed to a foreign State the wish to be transferred, that State should forward, with the request, the following documents :

a) a statement indicating that the sentenced person either is a national of that State or has his habitual residence on its territory ;
b) a copy of the legal provisions from which it can be assumed that the facts upon which the Portuguese sentence was based also amount to a punishable offence in that State ;
c) any other pertinent documents.

2. The information listed in paragraph 2 of Article 117 shall be forwarded to the foreign State, save if the request is summarily rejected.

Article 120
Decision

1. Where the Minister of Justice deems the request to be admissible, it shall be forwarded by the Attorney-General's Office to the public prosecutor attached to the ""Tribunal da Relação"l" that has jurisdiction in the area of the prison where the person concerned is.

2.. The public prosecutor shall take steps to ensure that the person concerned is heard by the judge; the provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the hearing of arrested persons shall apply.

3. The ""Tribunal da Relação"l" shall take a decision on the request, after having determined that the person concerned, fully knowledgeable of the legal consequences thereof, voluntarily consented to his transfer.

4. A consular agent or any official appointed with the agreement of the foreign state shall be granted the possibility of verifying whether or not the consent was given in conformity with the provisions of the preceding paragraph.

Article 121
Effects of transfer

1. The transfer of the person to a foreign State shall have the effect of suspending the enforcement of the sentence in Portugal.

2. Portugal may no longer enforce the sentence after the person has been transferred if the foreign State communicates that a judicial decision has deemed the sentence as having been fully enforced.

3. Where any court applies a measure of amnesty, pardon or commutation, the foreign State shall be informed accordingly through the Central Authority.


Section III
Transfer in

Article 122
Request

1. Where a person sentenced in a foreign State expresses his wish to be transferred to Portugal, the Attorney-General shall forward to the Minister of Justice the information mentioned in Article 117 that he will have received from that State for the purpose of the Minister examining the admissibility of the request.

2. The provisions of the preceding paragraph shall also apply in the cases in which the request comes from the foreign State.

3. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion from the Attorney-General's Office, the prison administration and the Institute for Social Rehabilitation; the opinions requested shall be produced within 10 days.

4. The provisions of paragraph 5 of Article 118 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Article 123
Specific requirements

1. Once a request for transfer to Portugal is accepted, the file shall be forwarded through the Attorney-General's Office to the public prosecutor at the ""Tribunal da Relação"l" which has jurisdiction in the place of residence indicated by the person concerned, in order to engage a procedure of revision and confirmation of foreign sentence.

2. When the judicial decision on the review and confirmation of the foreign sentence becomes enforceable, that decision shall be transmitted by the Central Authority to the requesting State for the purpose of the transfer being carried out.


Section IV
Information concerning the enforcement and transit

Article 124
Information on the enforcement

1. All information concerning the enforcement of the sentence shall be transmitted to the requesting State; that information shall include :

a) the date on which enforcement of the sentenced has been completed, as decided upon by way of a judicial decision ;
b) if applicable, notice of the escape of the person concerned prior to the sentence having been fully enforced.

2. At the request of the State that requested the transfer, a special report on the way in which enforcement took place and the results thereof, shall be forwarded to it.

Article 125
Transit

Authorisation for the transit through the Portuguese territory of a person being transferred from one State to another may be granted, at the request of any such State ; the provisions of Article 43 shall apply mutatis mutandis.

Part V
Supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders

CHAPTER I
General

Article 126
Principles

1. International co-operation with a view to the supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders habitually resident on the territory of the State to which such co-operation is requested, shall be admissible under the terms of the provisions of the Articles that follow.

2. Co-operation as mentioned in the preceding paragraph shall aim at :

a) facilitating the social rehabilitation of the offender through the adoption of adequate measures;
b) supervising the behaviour of the person concerned with a view either to order a criminal reaction ;
on that person or to enforce a criminal reaction already ordered.

Article 127
Subject-matter

1. Co-operation provided for in this Part may consist in one of the following modalities :

a) supervision of the sentenced person ;
b) supervision and eventual enforcement of the sentence, or
c) full enforcement of the sentence.

2. Where a request for co-operation under one of the above-mentioned modalities is received, it may be refused and one of the other modalities, if deemed to be more adequate, proposed in its stead ; such a counter-proposal shall have no effect unless it is accepted by the requesting State.

Article 128
Competence

Co-operation shall be made subject to a request from the State on whose territory the judgement was rendered.

Article 129
Double incrimination

The offence with respect to which the request for co-operation is made must be punishable under both the law of the requesting and the requested State.

Article 130
Optional refusal

Notwithstanding the general requirements provided for in this law, co-operation requested to Portugal may be refused if :

a) the decision with respect to which the request is made was taken in absentia and there was no legal possibility to have a new trial or for an appeal ;
b) that decision is not compatible with the underlying principles of the Portuguese criminal law, notably if in view of the age of the person concerned, that person shall not have been subject to criminal proceedings in Portugal.

Article 131
Request

1. Any request made to Portugal shall be submitted by the Central Authority to the Minister of Justice.
2. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion from any agency that is empowered to follow the measures imposed in the sentence.
3. If the Minister of Justice accepts the request, the Attorney-General's Office shall forward it to the public prosecutor attached to the ""Tribunal da Relação"l" that has jurisdiction in the area of the residence of the person concerned for obtaining a judicial decision on the admissibility of the request.

Article 132
Information

1. The decision on the request for co-operation shall be immediately communicated by the Central Authority to the requesting State and, in case of total or partial refusal, reasons shall be given.

2. Where the request is accepted, the Central Authority shall also communicate to the requesting State any circumstances that might affect either the implementation of the supervision measures or the enforcement of the sentence.

Part V
Supervision of conditionally sentenced or conditionally released offenders

CHAPTER VI
Common provisions

Article 143
Procedure and decision

1. The provisions of Part IV relating to the enforcement of criminal judgements, in particular those concerning examination of requests by the Ministry of Justice, jurisdiction of the Portuguese courts, procedure and effects of enforcement, shall apply mutatis mutandis to requests of co-operation as provided for in this Part.

2. The provisions relating to the consent of the person concerned shall not apply to cases where a request for supervision alone is at stake.

3. The Minister of Justice may request an opinion to the Attorney-General's Office or the Institute for Social Rehabilitation before deciding on the request.

Rome Statute

Article 103 Role of States in enforcement of sentences of imprisonment

1.

(a) A sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a State designated by the Court from a list of States which have indicated to the Court their willingness to accept sentenced persons.

(b) At the time of declaring its willingness to accept sentenced persons, a State may attach conditions to its acceptance as agreed by the Court and in accordance with this Part.

(c) A State designated in a particular case shall promptly inform the Court whether it accepts the Court's designation.

2.

(a) The State of enforcement shall notify the Court of any circumstances, including the exercise of any conditions agreed under paragraph 1, which could materially affect the terms or extent of the imprisonment. The Court shall be given at least 45 days' notice of any such known or foreseeable circumstances. During this period, the State of enforcement shall take no action that might prejudice its obligations under article 110.

(b) Where the Court cannot agree to the circumstances referred to in subparagraph (a), it shall notify the State of enforcement and proceed in accordance with article 104, paragraph 1.

3. In exercising its discretion to make a designation under paragraph 1, the Court shall take into account the following:

(a) The principle that States Parties should share the responsibility for enforcing sentences of imprisonment, in accordance with principles of equitable distribution, as provided in the Rules of Procedure and Evidence;

(b) The application of widely accepted international treaty standards governing the treatment of prisoners;

(c) The views of the sentenced person;

(d) The nationality of the sentenced person;

(e) Such other factors regarding the circumstances of the crime or the person sentenced, or the effective enforcement of the sentence, as may be appropriate in designating the State of enforcement.

4. If no State is designated under paragraph 1, the sentence of imprisonment shall be served in a prison facility made available by the host State, in accordance with the conditions set out in the headquarters agreement referred to in article 3, paragraph 2. In such a case, the costs arising out of the enforcement of a sentence of imprisonment shall be borne by the Court.