Two PSP police officers appear before a judge in Lisbon on charges of torture and sexual assault

The trial of two PSP police officers working at the Rato police station in Lisbon will begin at 09.30 on Friday, September 11. The Ministério Público indictment accuses two police officers of torture, abuse of power and other serious crimes against detained persons; There are also accusations of sexual assault against the main defendant. Renascença

The file is particularly important for immigrant communities, as the victims include foreigners and people with irregular status in Portugal.

The prosecution's allegations cover the period July 2024-March 2025

According to the indictment of Ministério Público, it is claimed that the events took place between July 2024 and March 2025.

The prosecutor's office stated that the police punched, slapped and hit some of the detained people with a gun handle; He claims that photographs and videos of some events were taken. Renascença

Among the accusations are that some victims were sexually assaulted or attempted to do so using an object.

These are not facts finalized by the court, but allegations of the prosecution to be tried in the criminal case.

There are 29 charges against the main defendant

According to the news by Renascença based on Lusa, the 22-year-old main defendant has been detained since July 2025.

Among the 29 charges against him are six counts of torture, five counts of sexual assault — four of which were attempted — seven counts of abuse of power, three counts of aggravated assault, There are two charges of forgery of documents, one aggravated theft, one charge of violating the confidentiality of communications, two charges of extortion/robbery and two charges of possession of a prohibited weapon. Renascença

The second police officer, 26, faces two charges of torture, three charges of abuse of power, one count of wounding and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon.

The second defendant is still under house arrest.

Among the victims are foreigners in irregular situations

One of the most important aspects of the dossier to PTNewsHub readers is the victim profile.

According to the prosecutor's office, a significant portion of the victims are people who are addicted to drugs, involved in minor crimes, or are homeless. These include foreigners and people with irregular immigration status in Portugal. Renascença

The indictment also claims that some images were shared in WhatsApp groups containing dozens of PSP personnel.

The investigation into another part of the file continues

The investigation into the Rato police station does not consist of a single file.

According to the information provided by Renascença, the investigation was divided into two separate processes. One of them is now coming to court; The other investigation continues.

The second file was evaluated as “special complexity” at the end of August. There is a possibility that new suspects and new victims may emerge in this investigation. Renascença

Immigration status does not take away fundamental rights

Lack of a residence permit in Portugal means that a person is subject to ill-treatment in custody. It does not abolish fundamental rights.

For this reason, the case is expected to be closely monitored not only in terms of the individual criminal liability of the two police officers, but also in terms of the protection of vulnerable people in custody and the control mechanisms within the security forces.

The court will now evaluate the prosecution's allegations, the defendants' defense and the evidence. The guilt of the defendants can only be determined by court decisions that will be given and finalized at the end of the trial.

Resources

Renascença / Lusa — Julgamento dos policias da esquadra do Rato começa na sexta-feira — 9 September 2026

Renascença direct news