The IL criticized Portugal for enforcing the extradition deals with China and Hong Kong, with the PS deeming the liberals’ accusations unfair and their obsession with appearing more human rights advocates than others.
“For the third time in three years, the Liberal Initiative is once again presenting its project to end the extradition deals with China and Hong Kong. For the third time, we are returning to a debate that is central to shaping our foreign policy and attitude towards of defending human rights as a country”said the parliamentary leader of the IL, Rodrigo Saraiva, in the debate that took place at the Assembly of the Republic on Tuesday.
Accusing Portugal of continuing “increasingly alone in his lyrical approach to China’s interests”the IL delegate thought so “it is not enough to delegate the decision on extradition cases to the courts, as defended by the foreign minister, when no other country in Europe is willing to leave human rights issues related to these agreements to the courts”🇧🇷
“We really want to be the only country in the European Union to enforce these two extradition agreements”he wondered.
On behalf of the PS, deputy Paulo Pisco stated that the IL “falsely accuses the Socialist Party of underestimating the issue of human rights in China and the recommendations of the European Parliament because they oppose the suspension of extradition agreements”🇧🇷
“It even makes you believe in its resolution that Portugal could extradite political opponents, dissidents, activists and other individuals to the Chinese authorities, but these allegations are unfair”he accused.
The socialist argued that this should be “a fair debate without gimmicks”, which is not what the Liberal Initiative brings, “such is their obsession with appearing more human rights advocate than other parties”🇧🇷
As for the PSD, Tiago Moreira de Sá said that, “looking at the extradition agreements”, the IL’s proposed resolution “sees in this an open door through which the Portuguese state can be forced to extradite suspects to regimes where the death penalty and life imprisonment apply or where persecution and political crimes are known”which from a legal point of view “has no basis”.
“A brief analysis of the agreements makes it clear that by doing so, Portugal will not budge an inch with regard to its fundamental principles and values, which are deeply rooted in the defense of human rights”said the Social Democrat.
Through Chega, André Ventura said he would vote for this liberal project, warning, however, that “this is not the right way to rewrite extradition treaties” as it is not “the proper parliamentary mechanism is not even the proper legal form to review or suspend such an agreement”🇧🇷
“The political goal is fundamental and we are still on the side of the IL. The way this initiative is presented is of some legal amateurism and a constitutional amateurism blind to the interests of the Portuguese state”criticized.
Bruno Dias, of the PCP, criticized the “a strategy to contain and antagonize China, which has nothing to do with the defense of democracy and human rights, but with the supreme concern of the US and its subordinate allies to defend and perpetuate world hegemony”🇧🇷
“It is these motivations that the proponents and other competitors prefer to follow diligently, even to the detriment of Portugal’s interests, and in this case even to the detriment of the fight against crime at the international level”convicted.
The BE, through deputy José Soeiro, stated that in the block group there had been no talk of “any call for silence about the nature of the Chinese regime and about violations of freedom and basic human rights”🇧🇷
“Unlike other parties from right to left, we are not rushing to visit China or to receive their dignitaries here.”he claimed.
The PAN also debated a proposal on this subject and, according to its sole deputy Inês Sousa Real, suggested that “the government follows what the Council of Foreign Ministers of the European Union has determined”that is, “the urgent assessment of the implications of the National Security Law on the relevant agreements between Portugal and Hong Kong, in the context of asylum, migration, visa and residence policies and on the fundamental rights of the Portuguese community residing in that territory”🇧🇷
Source: DN
