Legacy website of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia

Since the ICTY’s closure on 31 December 2017, the Mechanism maintains this website as part of its mission to preserve and promote the legacy of the UN International Criminal Tribunals.

 Visit the Mechanism's website.

Portugal signs enforcement of sentences agreement

REGISTRY
Press Release
(Exclusively for the use of the media. Not an official document)
The Hague, 19 December 2007
VE/MOW/PR1208e

Portugal signs enforcement of sentences agreement

Portugal today entered into an agreement on enforcement of sentences with the ICTY, which allows for persons convicted before the Tribunal to serve their sentences in its prisons.

The agreement was signed by His Excellency Júlio Francisco de Sales Mascarenhas, the Ambassador of Portugal to The Netherlands, and Mr. Hans Holthuis, the ICTY Registrar.

This is the third such agreement to be signed by the Tribunal in 2007. The agreement makes Portugal the thirteenth state to enter into an enforcement of sentences agreement.

Previous agreements were signed with the following United Nations Member States:

Italy - 6 February 1997 Finland - 7 May 1997 Norway - 24 April 1998 Sweden - 23 February 1999 Austria - 23 July 1999 France - 25 February 2000 Spain - 28 March 2000 Germany - signed two ad hoc agreements on 17 October 2000 with regards to Duško Tadić and on 14 November 2002 with regards to Dragoljub Kunarac Denmark - 4 June 2002 United Kingdom - 11 March 2004 Belgium - 2 May 2007 Ukraine - 7 August 2007

The agreement with Portugal provides that “Portugal will only enforce sentences pronounced by the International Tribunal where the duration of the sentence imposed by the International Tribunal does not exceed the highest maximum sentence at the time for any crime under Portuguese law”.

The agreement will enter into force upon notification by Portugal to the International Tribunal that the necessary internal requirements for that purpose have been met. The agreement is subject to ratification by the Portuguese Parliament.