Today, the Portuguese Parliament gave its general approval to agreements ratifying the transfer of convicts with three Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, namely Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

According to the Minister for Constitutional and Religious Affairs, the rectification is aimed at responding to the current situation in the face of organized and transnational crime.

The aim is for citizens sentenced abroad to serve their sentences in their home countries.

Helena Kida guaranteed that the ratification of the agreements will not represent a financial burden for the country.

"Legal and judicial cooperation in current times has become an imperative for the realization of citizens' fundamental rights insofar as states must ensure and promote justice through mechanisms that reach goods and people who may not be on their territory, while also reinforcing the establishment of cooperation mechanisms for the transfer of sentenced people to serve their sentences in their countries of origin," said the minister, quoted by RM.