Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance


Article 145
Principle and scope

2. Assistance shall include in particular the following:

d) the service of writs to and hearing of suspects, accused persons, witnesses or experts;

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance


Article 145
Principle and scope

3. Where the circumstances of the case so require, subject to an agreement between Portugal and a foreign State or an international judicial entity, any hearings as mentioned in sub-paragraph d) of paragraph 2 above may take place by using telecommunication means in real time, in accordance with Portuguese criminal procedure law and without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 10 ahead.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER III
Special forms of international assistance


Article 154
Summons to appear

1. Suspect or accused persons, witnesses or experts who are summoned to appear for the purposes of foreign criminal proceedings, service of which has been requested, may fail to appear.

2. When the summons are served, the person concerned shall be informed of his right not to appear.

3. The Portuguese authority shall refuse to service any summons where the person concerned is threatened with sanctions or where the safety of the person concerned is not safeguarded.

4. Consent to appear, if it is given, shall be freely given by way of a written statement.

5. Requests shall indicate the allowances and remunerations, as well as the travelling and subsistence expenses, to be paid out; they ought to be transmitted reasonably in advance so that they can be received 50 days at least before the date at which the person should appear.

6. In urgent cases, the time-limits indicated in the preceding paragraph may be shortened.

7. The allowances, remunerations and expenses mentioned in paragraph 5 above shall be calculated as from the place of residence of the person concerned and shall be at the rates provided for in the law of the State where the hearing is intended to take place.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER III
Special forms of international assistance


Article 157
Safe conduct

1. Any person appearing on the territory of a foreign State under the terms and for the purposes of the provisions of Articles 154, 155 or 156 above:

a) shall not be arrested, prosecuted, punished or subjected to any other restriction of his personal liberty in respect of any act anterior to his departure from the Portuguese territory other than those mentioned in the request for co-operation;
b) shall not be under an obligation to accept to be heard or make a statement at proceedings other than those mentioned in the request.

2. The immunity provided for in paragraph 1 above shall cease when the person voluntarily remains in the territory of the foreign State for more than 45 days from the date when his presence is no longer required or, having left that territory, voluntarily returned to it.

3. The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply mutatis mutandis to any person habitually resident in a foreign State who comes to Portugal as a result of a summons to appear for purposes of criminal proceedings.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance

Article 145
Principle and scope

2. Assistance shall include in particular the following :

d) the service of writs to and hearing of suspects, accused persons, witnesses or experts ;

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER I
Provisions common to different forms of assistance

Article 145
Principle and scope

3. Where the circumstances of the case so require, subject to an agreement between Portugal and a foreign State or an international judicial entity, any hearings as mentioned in sub-paragraph d) of paragraph 2 above may take place by using telecommunication means in real time, in accordance with Portuguese criminal procedure law and without prejudice to the provisions of paragraph 10 ahead.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER III
Special forms of international assistance

Article 154
Summons to appear

1. Suspect or accused persons, witnesses or experts who are summoned to appear for the purposes of foreign criminal proceedings, service of which has been requested, may fail to appear.

2. When the summons are served, the person concerned shall be informed of his right not to appear.

3. The Portuguese authority shall refuse to service any summons where the person concerned is threatened with sanctions or where the safety of the person concerned is not safeguarded.

4. Consent to appear, if it is given, shall be freely given by way of a written statement.

5. Requests shall indicate the allowances and remunerations, as well as the travelling and subsistence expenses, to be paid out; they ought to be transmitted reasonably in advance so that they can be received 50 days at least before the date at which the person should appear.

6. In urgent cases, the time-limits indicated in the preceding paragraph may be shortened.

7. The allowances, remunerations and expenses mentioned in paragraph 5 above shall be calculated as from the place of residence of the person concerned and shall be at the rates provided for in the law of the State where the hearing is intended to take place.

Part VI
Mutual legal assistance in criminal matters

CHAPTER III
Special forms of international assistance

Article 157
Safe conduct

1. Any person appearing on the territory of a foreign State under the terms and for the purposes of the provisions of Articles 154, 155 or 156 above :

a) shall not be arrested, prosecuted, punished or subjected to any other restriction of his personal liberty in respect of any act anterior to his departure from the Portuguese territory other than those mentioned in the request for co-operation ;
b) shall not be under an obligation to accept to be heard or make a statement at proceedings other than those mentioned in the request.

2. The immunity provided for in paragraph 1 above shall cease when the person voluntarily remains in the territory of the foreign State for more than 45 days from the date when his presence is no longer required or, having left that territory, voluntarily returned to it.

3. The provisions of the preceding paragraphs shall apply mutatis mutandis to any person habitually resident in a foreign State who comes to Portugal as a result of a summons to appear for purposes of criminal proceedings.

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:
(e) Facilitating the voluntary appearance of persons as witnesses or experts before the Court