‘Police State’ In Portugal

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31548, 9 December 1967, Page 13

‘Police State’ In Portugal

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) GENEVA, December 8. The International Commission of Jurists called Portugal a police state yesterday after the expulsion of one of its legal officers from Lisbon.

The commission said the Portugese police arrested a Chilean lawyer, Dr Marino Porzio, at his Lisbon hotel last Tuesday and put him on a plane for Geneva the next day. The Chilean lawyer had gone to Portugal to discuss Portuguese lawyers’ plans to mark the international human rights year, beginning next Sunday. “Mr Porzio’s experience is clearly indicative of the existence of a police state in Portugal,” the statement said.

The commission had taken up the matter with the Portuguese Government and had protested at the “arbitrary and unacceptable measures taken by the Portuguese police authorities.” The Portuguese authorities had alleged that Mr Porzio had entered Portugal illegally and irregularly, the commission said.

"This is untrue, for he had

a valid passport and a visa issued by the Portuguese consular authorities in Geneva.”

Mr Porzio was refused permission to get in touch with his Embassy, on the ground that he was under arrest.

Beatles’ Trip Off.—The Beatles have called off their plans to fly to India next month to meditate with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the “Daily Sketch” reported yesterday.—London, December 8.