Former Portuguese minister in pedophilia probe released on appeal

RTP Internacional TV, Lisbon

The Lisbon court of appeal on Wednesday ordered the release of former government minister and member of parliament Paulo Pedroso, who had been detained on remand since 23 May on suspicion of participation in a pedophilia scandal involving the state orphanage Casa Pia and several well know figures of Portuguese society, Portuguese TV reported.

It said that under the terms of his release, Mr Pedroso must reside at a fixed address and report periodically to the authorities.

Mr Pedroso, who was socialist labour minister in 2001-2002, asked for the suspension of his parliamentary mandate when he was arrested in May. On his release on Wednesday he returned to parliament to speak to the media.

"I have come to the [National] Assembly to thank all the deputies who over these past months expressed their solidarity to me," he said in remarks broadcast by the TV. "As you know, I left this building [in May] with an expression of confidence in the justice of democratic Portugal. I am back here today with the same confidence in the justice of democratic Portugal."

"In-between those two occasions there was a period of imprisonment which I have always deemed illegal and unjust," Paulo Pedroso added, "but I chose to submit myself unequivocally, like any other citizen, to the rules of the judicial system, and today the court of appeal proved me right by ruling my arrest illegal and unjust."

"I must say that I am aware as I speak to you - as I have been over these past four-and-a-half months - that there are children in Portugal who are victims of abuse and who deserve that the truth, the whole truth, be ascertained by the judicial system. Pedophilia is an appalling crime, and my battle - as I said here in this house - is not just to prove my innocence but also to see to it that the whole truth of this affair comes to light."

"I would also add that I believe it important to the country that the whole truth be established regarding crimes of this nature, both those which come under the statute of limitations and those which do not. I would actually go so far as to say today that it would be a good idea if, beyond the judicial investigation, the country could set up something along the lines of a justice and truth commission on the sexual abuse of children and pedophilia in Portugal," Mr Pedroso said.