On April 20, 2015, Prof. Leila Sadat gave a presentation regarding the need for a new global treaty on crimes against humanity at the Universidade Católica Portuguesa. In attendance were students, administrators, faculty, deans and members of Portugal’s Supreme Court. In particular, the presentation was attended by the President of the Portuguese Supreme Court, Justice António Henriques Gaspar, Justice Maria dos Prazeres Beleza, also from the Supreme Court of Justice and the Portugal’s Attorney General Joana Marques Vidal. Prominent members of the Academy were also present, including the Dean of the Lisbon School of Law of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Professor Jorge Pereira da Silva, Professor Germano Marques da Silva, a former Dean of Lisbon School of Law and a Criminal Law Professor, Professor Luís Barreto Xavier, the Dean of Católica Global School of Law and Professor Gonçalo Matias, Director of Católica Global’s Transnational Law Program, and special adviser to Portuguese President Aníbal Cavaco Silva.
There was a robust discussion about the need for and technical aspects of a possible new treaty on crimes against humanity. Students from Católica Global Law School have undertaken to prepare a Portuguese translation of the Proposed International Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, under the direction of Professor Gonçalo Matias. A Portuguese translation will make the number of languages the treaty is available in eight; English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Russian, German and Chinese translations can be read here .
