The president of the Mozambican Bar Association says that parliament's decision not to discuss and approve the new police laws was wise and democratic.

Last month, parliament withdrew from debate the revision of the laws on the police and the National Criminal Investigation Service (SERNIC) without explaining the decision. More than 30 days later, the president of the Mozambican Bar Association, Carlos Martins, says that the laws are an attack on democracy and fundamental rights.

"The recent proposal for the Police Act, which parliament wisely did not agree to discuss and therefore approve, is a prime example of what we are talking about. It was a real danger to democracy and fundamental rights, because you can't take away the guidelines of independence and weighting that an investigation and accusatory process require," he said.

Carlos Martins also warned that when justice distances itself from its fundamental principles, society as a whole loses out, because "the guarantee of a fair and balanced process is unlikely to be upheld, even by the courts".

For Martins, the normative powers of each of the sovereign bodies must be respected, otherwise it will be a democratic step backwards.

Carlos Martins was speaking at the opening of the IV Lawyers' Conference. (O País)