The Portuguese Army has not initiated any disciplinary proceedings against the six soldiers who viewed a video depicting a rape perpetrated by a fellow soldier, who has since been sentenced to seven years in prison.
This information was confirmed by the Army’s Communication Division.
“Depending on the findings of the ongoing investigation, other proceedings might be initiated,” clarified the source.
Regarding the individual convicted of rape and invasion of privacy, the Army stated that the “soldier currently holds a contractual relationship with the Army under a contract regime” and is presently “subject to a disciplinary process.”
The incident dates back to March 2022, and the “situation had particularly severe consequences due to the physical harm inflicted on the victim, a 25-year-old woman who.”
According to the officials, the woman had to undergo “surgery under general anesthesia, resulting in a three-day hospital stay.”
The soldier also recorded the assault and shared the footage in a private WhatsApp group, which “intensified the severity of the incident.”
The sentence was issued as a cumulative penalty, with the soldier receiving six years and six months for the rape charge, and an additional two years and six months for the dissemination of the crime’s images.
[News updated at 12:48]
