The ADN – National Democratic Alternative party launched a petition to review the weapons law and the Penal Code in order to allow ordinary citizens to use so-called “non-lethal weapons” such as tasers.
It already has more than a thousand signatures and intends to take the discussion of the “liberalization” of the “use and carrying of non-lethal weapons”namely weapons Class E.
What is at stake is the Legal Regime of Weapons and Ammunition, which determines that “class E” weapons are defense aerosolsapproved in accordance with European legislation”, as well as “the electric weapons up to 200,000 Vwith safety mechanism”.
In both cases, these weapons cannot “be confused with weapons of another class or with other objects”, according to the law.
Class E also includes “the firearms and its ammunition, of industrial production, only suitable for fire non-metallic bullets or to propel devices, originally designed to eliminate any possibility of lethal aggression and which have received approval from any Member State” of the European Union, in accordance with the same law.
At this time, these “non-lethal” weapons can only be acquired “through special authorization issued by the National Director of the PSP”, recalls the text of the petition.
The party’s objective is to change the law so that “the acquisition, possession, use and carrying of class E weapons is comprehensive to all national citizenswithout Criminal Record”.
But DNA also wants review the Penal Code so that anyone who uses this type of weapon “cannot be accused of a crime and will not have any legal or financial consequences”.
ADN wants to liberalize rubber guns and tasers
Firearms that shoot non-metallic bullets they use projectiles made from materials such as rubber or plastic. Therefore, they are known as “drunk weapons” and are designed to minimize the risk of serious or fatal injury, but may still cause temporary pain and injury.
Electric weapons are popularly known as “tasers” and emit electrical impulses to temporarily immobilize a person without causing permanent harm.
In the case of “defense aerosols”, these are sprays that release a chemical substance to temporarily incapacitate a person. THE pepper spray is the best known, causing irritation to the eyes, skin and respiratory tract, making it difficult for the target to see and breathe.
Right to security of person, family and property
The purpose of DNA is to “guarantee citizens’ right to their security guys“, as well as “defend life, family and private property“, as noted in the petition.
The party accuses “successive governments” of making “inefficient and incapable”. Furthermore, he claims that Portugal “is suffering a escalation of violence never seen before.”
In this scenario, citizens “demand more and better security”, feeling that “it is unsafe to walk the streetswhether during the day or at night”, and that it is “dangerous to travel on public transport or in “, DNA further points out.
On the other hand, criminal legislation “has punish victims of crime when, legitimately, they defend themselves from the aggressor”, he also argues.
On the contrary, “the criminal is widely defended”having guaranteed “rights to reparation when suffering some type of retribution for aggression, perpetrated by the victim, even in the status of self-defense”, the ADN also highlights.
In this way, the radical right party argues that “the liberalization of non-lethal weapons” is “crucial to guarantee the defense of citizens” and the “victim of a potential aggression”.
But it is also necessary to review the criminal law to ensure that “citizens are not detained and punished with a suspended sentence or prison sentence”, as well as to ensure that “they are not forced to compensate the aggressor” in the case of using this type of “non-lethal” weapons, highlights the ADN.
A public petition needs at least 7500 signatures to be discussed in Parliament.
