The government has dismissed the director of the Angra do Heroísmo prison, located in the Azores, citing a “loss of trust” following the punishment of two inmates, a source from the Ministry of Justice confirmed.
The source stated that on the proposal of the director-general of the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP), the Secretary of State for Justice, Gonçalo da Cunha Pires, “terminated the commission of service” of the prison director, José Coutinho Pereira.
The decision was due to a “loss of trust from senior management in middle management” and takes immediate effect, with José Coutinho Pereira being replaced by deputy director Norberto Rodrigues.
At the end of April, reports emerged regarding an inmate with a psychiatric condition who was allegedly placed in a cell alone, wearing only underwear, and provided only two blankets, lacking a mattress, at Angra do Heroísmo prison.
The incident prompted a complaint to the Public Prosecutor’s Office after the inmate was hospitalized with signs of hypothermia at Terceira Island Hospital.
A similar incident reported in May also led to an inquiry, during which the DGRSP reiterated its “zero tolerance for inhumane behavior” and reaffirmed its “commitment to upholding human rights and legality,” adding that it is determined to establish the facts and respective responsibility.
