European Council slams “violent” Portuguese police and “torture prisons

http://portugalresident.com/european-council-slams-“violent”-portuguese-police-and-“torture-prisons”


Posted by PORTUGALPRESS on February 27, 2018

European Council slams “violent” Portuguese police and “torture prisons”

A report by the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has “pointed the finger at Portugal for keeping prisoners in inhuman conditions”, reports Lusa today, adding that it appeals to the government “to take urgent measures to combat police violence”.

The report follows a trip by a CPT delegation to “various jails and prison hospital units” where inmates complained of “violence and mistreatment by security forces”.

Explained TSF radio, there were “a considerable number” of complaints about police violence on the point of arrest “and the moments that followed before arrival at police stations”.

The committee “concluded that mistreatment is common and particularly affects foreigners and Portuguese people of African origin”.

According to TSF, the reports given to the delegation described “punches, slaps and kickings” - and one of the major failings identified by CPT was the “lack of investigation” of these cases.

“Beyond police”, the Council of Europe has also slammed the prisons visited: Caxias, Leiria, Monsanto and Setúbal, saying they were “totally inappropriate to receive inmates” due to their “inhuman, degrading conditions”: cold, dark, cramped cells “in ruins, with mice”.

Psychiatric units were also cited over complaints that some inmates were left naked in solitary confinement which the committee considered “degrading” and a practice that “should be stopped immediately”.

Lisbon jail particularly came under attack for its wings B, C, D and E which the committee said needs to be cleared of inmates and renovated before any are allowed back.

As TSF explains, this will be “difficult” considering prison overcrowding already sees prison occupation levels running at 140%.

http://portugalresident.com/racism-and-torture-public-ministry-accuses-psp-police

Posted by PORTUGALPRESS on July 11, 2017

Racism and torture: Public ministry accuses PSP police

Is anyone in any doubt of what could have happened to The McCanns, especially Kate, if certain members of The PJ had thought they could have gotten away with it?

I'm not.

http://theportugalnews.com/news/mps-concerned-with-police-prison-officer-violence/44970

MPs concerned with police, prison officer violence

BY TPN/LUSA, IN NEWS · 08-03-2018 14:13:00

Portuguese MPs on the Constitutional Affairs Commission said on Wednesday that they were concerned with the levels of violence by police officers and prison guards and want to meet with the justice and the internal affairs ministers shortly.

Their position arose following a recent report from the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT), which noted the persistence and even the worsening of cases of violence and abuse by Portuguese security forces and in the country’s prisons.

“The report is, unfortunately, a lesson and a reply to all those who think we are an example in matters of the rule of law. There cannot be any denial by the Portuguese state”, the main opposition party said.

The deputy whip of the ruling Socialist party, Filipe Neto Brandão, said the report did say there had been a recent reduction in prison overcrowding, but regretted the persistence of various “pathologies” in the police and prison systems.

This comes after Portugal’s home affairs inspectorate received 772 formal complaints about the security forces in 2017, 42 more than in 2016 and the highest number in the last four years.

The complaints submitted to the Inspectorate-General of Internal Administration (IGAI) relate to the PSP urban police force, the GNR police force, and the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) – all of which come under the Ministry for Internal Administration.

Of the total, 403 complaints were submitted by citizens and the rest, 369, by judicial authorities.

According to the figures provided to Lusa News Agency, in six years, the IGAI has received a total of 4,577 complaints. The last time the number of complaints was so high was in 2013, when there were 830.

Last year, the inspectorate dealt with 1,380 reports of possible police abuses, 608 of them carried over from 2016. Of the total dealt with during the year, inspectors concluded almost half of them (657); six prompted disciplinary proceedings.

In all, the IGAI started 16 disciplinary proceedings, compared with 10 in 2016.

Last year’s total includes two disciplinary proceedings against PSP officers following the use of firearms in cases that resulted in the death of civilians.

In the last six years, 11 PSP and GNR officers have been the subject of proceedings in such cases.