The president of the Supreme Court of Justice (STJ), Henrique Araújo, defended today, in Cape Verde, the need for reform of the sector and showed “total availability” to participate in the debate launched by 50 personalities in a manifesto.
“I suppose that society and the Portuguese legal community will be in agreement that something needs to be done for Justice in Portugal”, argued the judge advisor, urged by Lusa to comment on the manifesto of 50 personalities that calls for a “civic uprising” to force politicians to justice reform in Portugal.
At a press conference in the city of Praia, after a meeting with his Cape Verdean counterpart, as part of a visit to the archipelago, the president of the STJ said that the manifesto is a “normal democracy” stance, which respect.
He stressed that he has left “no doubt” regarding the “need” to carry out a reform of Justice in Portugal, “which may be more or less profound, depending on the will of the political power”.
“But reform is needed in some areas (…), justice reform is fundamental, something needs to be done in some aspects”, he reinforced, expressing “total availability” to participate in the debate with representatives of the legislative and executive powers and with other partners linked to the administration of the sector.
Last week, a group of 50 personalities from different backgrounds made an appeal to the President of the Republic, Government and Parliament to take initiatives that, respecting the independence of the courts, the autonomy of the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the guarantees of judicial defense, resolve issues “bottlenecks and dysfunctions that have long undermined its effectiveness and public legitimacy”.
Entitled “For a reform of justice – in Defense of the Democratic Rule of Law”, the signatories of the manifesto express “civic concern” with a view to establishing justice reform as a priority and criticize the investigative activities of the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The group draws attention, among other aspects, to the “feeling of impunity” that the ineffectiveness of the system transmits to society, the lack of internal and external evaluation, the interference in political power or the recurring breaches of the secrecy of justice.
The petition is signed by, among others, the former presidents of parliament Augusto Santos Silva, Ferro Rodrigues and Mota Amaral, the former leaders of the PSD and CDS, Rui Rio and Francisco Rodrigues dos Santos, the former ministers Leonor Beleza, David Justino, Fernando Negrão, António Vitorino, José Vieira da Silva, António Barreto, Correia de Campos, Alberto Costa, Pinto Ribeiro, Maria de Lurdes Rodrigues and the former president of the Constitutional Court João Caupers.
