Mozambique’s parliament on Monday approved at its first reading a law establishing the principles of and procedures for judicial cooperation with foreign authorities, regulating extradition and other cooperation in criminal matters.
The legislation assigns powers to the judiciary over the decision to extradite people sought by other countries’ justice authorities for being suspected of having committing crimes, explained the chair of the parliament’s committee on human rights, constitutional affairs and legality, Edson Macuácuá.
It enshrines the principle that Mozambican nationals should not be extradited to other countries except in the case of suspects who are resident abroad.
“The law transposes international conventions and treaties ratified by Mozambique on extradition and international judicial cooperation,” Macuácuá explained.
The text, he went on, expressly makes it clear that no other power in the country may decide on extradition – only the courts.
It outlines the procedures that should be followed in the relationship with other states in the investigation of crimes that involves more than one jurisdiction, Macuácuá stressed.
PMA / ARO // ARO.
Lusa
