In a letter sent today to the Director-General of the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services (DGRSP), a union has accused Ana Pardal, the director of the Linhó prison, and the chief officer of the prison guards, of “constant and repeated violations of minimum services.”
The National Union of the Prison Guards (SNCGP) highlighted previous complaints which have already led to submissions to the Attorney General’s Office, prompting two investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and another pursued by the General Inspectorate of Justice Services (IGSJ). The union has urged the DGRSP to resolve the situation to “avoid legal actions.”
Along with the letter, the union included copies of documents it claims prove the violations of minimum services. These documents reportedly include records of notifications delivered to inmates not originating from the Penalty Execution Court, the only notifications allowed under minimum services, as well as orders for the accompaniment of new inmates entering Linhó prison, which also falls outside the scope of minimum services.
“We believe that due to the ongoing violations, the lack of responsibility and leadership principles, appropriate conclusions must be drawn regarding what is happening at this prison facility. Prison guards are employees of the Portuguese State, they are an institutional security force, and they cannot be subjected to the irresponsibilities of their leaders,” the letter to the Director-General states.
Lusa has contacted the DGRSP for clarification and a comment on these union accusations and is awaiting a response.
The strike by prison guards at Linhó prison has been ongoing since last December, protesting against inadequate security conditions in the facility, particularly concerning assaults on prison guards.
This strike has prompted protests from the Portuguese Association for Inmate Support (APAR) and a group of lawyers, who have criticized the conditions imposed on prisoners as a result of the strike, particularly regarding access to clean clothes and time spent in cells.
A union report from January 29 led the IGSJ to initiate a process concerning alleged abuse of power by the Linhó prison administration, after it required striking guards to accept bags of clothing brought by visitors for inmates.
According to the report, the prison director established “a new minimum service, under duress, requiring the delivery and receipt of a bag of clothing from visitors,” contrary to the arbitration decision.
