The two Public Security Police (PSP) officers arrested on suspicion of torture remain in police custody following their appearance in court for a preliminary hearing on Friday.
The judge considered the risk of continued criminal activity and potential interference with the investigation, opting for the most severe preventive measure.
On Thursday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office conducted searches at several police stations within the first Lisbon Police Division, leading to the detention of two PSP officers.
These arrests relate to suspicions of crimes including torture, aggravated assault, embezzlement, and forgery, as noted by the Attorney General’s Office in a statement issued on Thursday.
“To date, approximately a dozen offenses have been reported,” the statement added.
The searches took place at police stations within the first Lisbon Police Division, with police sources disclosing to Lusa that these included the Bairro Alto and Rato stations, as well as the officers’ residences.
The investigation was initiated following a complaint from the national PSP directorate, after top officials became aware of the allegations against the two officers, one from the Lisbon Police Division and the other from the Lisbon Metropolitan Command.
The allegations of violence by these officers have been known for over six months, reportedly involving vulnerable individuals detained on suspicion of crimes such as theft.
One victim was allegedly subjected to violence at the Rato station after being detained. The officers then reportedly attempted to sodomize the individual with a baton, with the assaults being filmed by the officers themselves.
These videos were subsequently brought to the attention of the officers’ superiors, who immediately reported the incident internally, leading to an investigation by the Lisbon Public Prosecutor’s Office, which took action on Thursday.
Two PSP officers were detained today following searches conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office on suspicion of torture, a source from the Attorney General’s Office told Lusa.
Lusa | 18:11 – 10/07/2025
IGAI opens administrative process. PSP Director expresses “disappointment”
On Friday, the Inspectorate-General of Internal Administration (IGAI) announced that an administrative process was opened regarding the case.
In a written response to the Lusa agency, the IGAI clarified that it is “awaiting the submission of information from the PSP” and that the administrative process is ongoing.
Also, yesterday, the national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, expressed disappointment over the detention of the two officers, emphasizing that “even one case is bad.” However, he assured people that they could continue to trust the police.
“Nobody likes allegations involving the institutions they serve because the 20,000 officers we have give their best every day (…) and even one case is bad. One case is not pleasant for anyone, not for the national director of PSP, not for any officers, nor for the institutions that work with us, but that’s the way society is. That’s why we have laws, a Constitution, police and judicial authorities, and in terms of credibility, we have strict internal control. At the same time, I am, as is natural, disappointed that there might be a case, but it means the institutions are functioning,” Luís Carrilho said, speaking to journalists on the sidelines of the 87th-anniversary celebrations of Porto’s Municipal Police.
The PSP director declined to comment specifically on the current case because it is under judicial secrecy, stressing the importance of allowing institutions to carry out their investigative work.
“Generally speaking, I can say that whenever there are indications corresponding to the practice [of a crime] — whether by police officers or not — our loyalty is to the law and the Constitution of the Republic,” he said, assuring that “the Portuguese population and those living in Portugal can continue to rely on and trust the PSP.”
The national director of the PSP, Luís Carrilho, expressed disappointment today over the detention of two officers on suspicion of torture, emphasizing that “even one case is bad,” but assured that people could continue to trust the police.
Lusa | 15:22 – 11/07/2025
Lusa reached out to the Ministry of Internal Administration for comments on this case, but Maria Lúcia Amaral’s office indicated that it would not comment on the searches.
