The regional court of North Lisbon issued a statement today regarding recent media coverage about the preventative measures imposed in the case involving the rape of a 16-year-old girl by three young ‘influencers’. These individuals later shared images of the crime on social media. The court emphasized that the measures taken do not signify a judgment of the case.
“The initial judicial questioning of a detained defendant does not equate to a trial of the facts, nor is it aimed at pre-emptively imposing penalties. Its sole purpose is the application of preventive measures to manage the risks” outlined in the Code of Criminal Procedure.
These risks include flight risk, potential disturbance of the investigation or process, risk to evidence gathering and preservation, risks arising from the nature of the crime or the defendant’s character, and the risk of continued criminal activity and disturbance of public order and tranquility.
In this case, following the questioning and based on the available evidence, the defendants were subjected to non-custodial preventive measures as promoted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office, by decision of the criminal instruction court. These measures were deemed, given the available evidence, proportional and appropriate to the precautionary objectives intended to ensure safety,” the statement read.
The court noted that the investigation is ongoing, and the proceedings remain confidential, preventing further public clarification at this stage, while also reminding that the court’s decision is subject to appeal.
“It is emphasized that judges make decisions independently and impartially, based on the evidence within the case files and in strict compliance with the law,” the statement added.
It was revealed today that over 70 organizations and nearly 3,000 individuals have signed an open letter calling for action against the rape and the online dissemination of images, following the case of a minor raped in Loures by three alleged ‘influencers’.
The manifesto calls for the young individuals to be removed from social media and for the strengthening of preventive measures applied to the three suspects.
News Minute | 16:28 – 01/04/2025
The Portuguese Platform for Women’s Rights, which organized the document, intends to bring the issue into the upcoming electoral campaign, seeking commitments from political parties. The goal is not only to prevent the case from going unpunished but also to ensure that Portuguese legal frameworks adequately address the condemnation and prevention of such cases, stated Maria João Faustino, one of the text’s authors, to the Lusa agency.
“The release of the three defendants has sparked outrage and alarm. This case highlights a systemic problem in the application of inadequate preventive measures for crimes against women and girls, revealing structural failures in victim protection and the trivialization of the crimes committed,” the platform declared in a statement.
Three young men were detained on March 24 in Loures, within the Lisbon district, on suspicion of aggravated rape and child pornography offenses against a 16-year-old girl, according to the Judiciary Police (PJ) three days later.
The investigation was initiated by a report from Hospital Beatriz Ângelo in Loures to the Public Security Police (PSP); the incident occurred in February near the victim’s residence, detailed the PJ in a statement.
According to João Oliveira, director of the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Directorate of the PJ, the three detained young men are ‘influencers’ with a “very significant audience”.
The 16-year-old girl was a follower of the suspects on social media, initially maintaining virtual contact before arranging a physical meeting.
The trio, as reported by the PJ, “in a group setting, coerced the victim into sexual acts and filmed the incident against her will, subsequently sharing the footage on social media”.
The suspects, aged between 17 and 19, were subjected to an initial judicial interrogation as detained defendants but were released with preventive measures requiring weekly check-ins and barring any contact with the victim.
