THE fate of three prisoners in Macau facing extradition to China for crimes carrying the death penalty has been left in the balance after an appeal court delayed a decision on their fate for a third time.
The long-awaited decision relates only to one, Hong Kong resident Yeung Yuk-yeung but, in effect, the judgment will apply to the others, who will not hear the results of appeals to Lisbon until later in the year.
The 13 judges of the Constitutional Court were to have delivered judgment on Yeung early on Thursday morning, but news was postponed until next Tuesday.
Yeung, 36, was arrested in Macau in December 1993, on charges of strangling a woman in a mainland hotel.
Since his arrest, China has been lobbying for his extradition.
The Macau courts have ordered Yeung be extradited to face murder charges but his lawyer, Pedro Redinha, has lodged an appeal in Lisbon. His office said Portugal had delayed the decision without giving reasons.