Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance


Article 145
Principle and scope

1. Assistance shall include: the communication of information; the service of writs; communication of procedural steps or other public law acts admitted by Portuguese law if they are necessary for the purposes of criminal proceedings; as well as steps that are necessary to seize or recover proceeds from, objects of or instrumentalities of an offence.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance

Article 145
Principle and scope

1. Assistance shall include : the communication of information ; the service of writs ; communication of procedural steps or other public law acts admitted by Portuguese law if they are necessary for the purposes of criminal proceedings ; as well as steps that are necessary to seize or recover proceeds from, objects of or instrumentalities of an offence.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance

Article 146
Applicable law

1. Requests for assistance addressed to Portugal shall be carried out in conformity with the Portuguese law.

2. However, where the foreign State so requests explicitly or where it results from an international agreement, treaty or convention, the assistance sought may be given in conformity with the law of that State, if such is not incompatible with the fundamental principles of Portuguese law and if it does not carry serious prejudice to the parties involved.

3. Requests for assistance shall be refused where the assistance sought implies measures that are banned under Portuguese law or might carry penal or disciplinary sanctions.

Article 89
Surrender of persons to the Court
1. The Court may transmit a request for the arrest and surrender of a person, together with the material supporting the request outlined in article 91, to any State on the territory of which that person may be found and shall request the cooperation of that State in the arrest and surrender of such a person. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and the procedure under their national law, comply with requests for arrest and surrender.

Article 93
Other forms of cooperation
1. States Parties shall, in accordance with the provisions of this Part and under procedures of national law, comply with requests by the Court to provide the following assistance in relation to investigations or prosecutions:
(a) The identification and whereabouts of persons or the location of items;
(b) The taking of evidence, including testimony under oath, and the production of evidence, including expert opinions and reports necessary to the Court;
(c) The questioning of any person being investigated or prosecuted;
(d) The service of documents, including judicial documents;
(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court;
(f) The temporary transfer of persons as provided in paragraph 7;
(g) The examination of places or sites, including the exhumation and examination of grave sites;
(h) The execution of searches and seizures;
(i) The provision of records and documents, including official records and documents;
(j) The protection of victims and witnesses and the preservation of evidence;
(k) The identification, tracing and freezing or seizure of proceeds, property and assets and instrumentalities of crimes for the purpose of eventual forfeiture, without prejudice to the rights of bona fide third parties; and
(l) Any other type of assistance which is not prohibited by the law of the requested State, with a view to facilitating the investigation and prosecution of crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court.

Article 99
Execution of requests under articles 93 and 96
1. Requests for assistance shall be executed in accordance with the relevant procedure under the law of the requested State and, unless prohibited by such law, in the manner specified in the request, including following any procedure outlined therein or permitting persons specified in the request to be present at and assist in the execution process.

Article 88
Availability of procedures under national law
States Parties shall ensure that there are procedures available under their national law for all of the forms of cooperation which are specified under this Part.