Parliament will vote this Monday in the specialty on the amnesty proposal for people between 16 and 30 years old, with regard to World Youth Day (WYD), in which administrative offenses of up to 1,000 euros, such as traffic fines, are no longer included.
The PS submitted a proposal to amend the amnesty diploma being discussed today in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Rights, Freedoms and Safeguards, in which the state ceases to forfeit the value of fines, as provided for in the original government document.
However, the new version envisages the waiving of additional sanctions related to administrative offenses whose maximum applicable fine limit does not exceed one thousand euros, also amnestying military disciplinary offenses that are not crimes outside the scope of this amnesty proposal and where the sanction does not go beyond disciplinary suspension or imprisonment.
However, the amendments proposed by the PS do not concern the restriction of application for young people up to the age of 30, despite the doubts expressed by various authorities and specialists about its possible unconstitutionality.
The end of age limits for applying the amnesty had been proposed by the PSD, while the Liberal Initiative (IL) had defended the absence of age limits for offenses punishable by fines of up to a thousand euros.
The PS proposal also included some changes advocated by the PSD, adding more crimes to the exclusion of amnesty, such as trafficking in human organs, theft, crimes against national sovereignty and the implementation of the rule of law, prisoner rebellions, corruption in commerce internationally and in the private sector, against the sporting truth, fraud in obtaining grant or subsidy and against children, young people and especially vulnerable victims.
The proposed law already included exceptions to forgiveness and amnesty, namely those who committed crimes such as murder, infanticide, domestic violence, assault, violation of serious physical integrity, female genital mutilation, violation of qualified physical integrity, forced marriage, kidnapping, against sexual freedom and self-determination, extortion, discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence, influence peddling, money laundering or corruption.
The diploma covers crimes and offenses committed up to June 19 by youths between the ages of 16 and 30, which must be passed due to the WYD, stipulating a one-year pardon for all sentences up to eight years in prison. An amnesty scheme is also provided for offenses the penalty of which does not exceed one year’s imprisonment or 120 days’ fine.
The socialists propose that the law enter into force the day after publication, but only from September 1, given the legal holidays in the courts.
The President of the Republic avoided speaking on this issue at the end of June, reserving a position for later. “I am waiting for the position of parliament. As you know, it must be a law of the Assembly of the Republic. It is common in situations like this, from a papal visit, to get an amnesty, which varied quite a bit. And that’s why I want to see the final outline of the law and then speak out,” said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa.
Source: DN
