The “Agreement between the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and Mongolia on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons” was signed on Friday (15 December) by the Secretary for Administration and Justice, Ms Chan Hoi Fan, and the Consul General of Mongolia to the Hong Kong and Macau SARs, Mr Samdan Erdene, during a ceremony held at Macao’s Government Headquarters.

The Agreement means a Mongolian person sentenced to a term of imprisonment in Macao can serve the sentence in his or her home jurisdiction, and vice versa. Part of the aim is to assist the offender to reintegrate with society upon release.

The Agreement will come into force 30 days after the two jurisdictions mutually agree that respective internal procedures have been completed.

In May, Macao SAR and Mongolia signed a draft judicial assistance agreement. The Government hopes in the first half of next year to reach consensus with Mongolia regarding discussion on matters to be covered by the final version of that agreement.

Under the Basic Law of Macao, with the assistance and authorisation of the Central People’s Government, the SAR may make appropriate arrangements with foreign states for reciprocal judicial assistance.

Officials attending Friday’s ceremony included: Deputy Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in the Macao SAR, Mr Yuan Hengge; representatives of Macao’s international judicial assistance task group; and Mongolia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the PRC, Mr Gankhuyag Damba.