Luanda — Members of the Angolan Parliament (MP) on Thursday reached consensus on the maximum sentence of eight in prison for crimes of sexual rape against a minor.

The information was provided by the chairperson of the first Commission, António Paulo, during the joint meeting to discuss the revision of the Penal Code, whose proposal will bring Angola into alignment with existing international standards.

Conversely, António Paulo said that a minimum sentence of three years in prison was established so that rapists cannot request the payment of bail and be released on provisional release.

According to MP Fernando Diniz, the penal framework must be stricter as a way of discouraging offenders.

In response, António Paulo clarified that the spirit of the law review is that some norms have a minimum criminal framework and not their worsening.

On Thursday, the MPs also analyzed article 305 of the Penal Code, relating to dangerous driving of means of transport, where the emphasis was on the citizen's right to refrain from producing evidence against themselves.

Regarding the matter, and in the opposite direction, the Minister of Justice, Marcy Lopes, suggested that the driver should be obliged to submit to a blood alcohol test, whenever requested, under penalty of incurring the crime of disobedience.

The government official also referred to the increase in the alcohol level from 1 milligram per liter, currently defined, to 1.2 grams per liter, seeking to correct an existing drafting error and conform with the current Highway Code.

According to a note from the National Assembly, parliamentarians will address, next Tuesday (9), in general, the proposed laws on the Institutionalization of Local Authorities, Municipal Guards, changing passports, anti-doping in sport and the draft resolution and joint opinions of the CNE composition. MGM/SC/DOJ