Latest news and stories about public safety in culture in Lisboa, Portugal for expats and residents.
Duarte Moral, his wife, and former PS/Oeiras leader Rui Nascimento have been arrested in connection with an investigation into suspicious public procurement contracts involving Socialist Party-led municipalities.
Two PSP chiefs and 13 officers are among the 15 police officers arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of torture and rape at the Rato police station in Lisbon. The arrests bring the total number of officers involved in the investigation into the abuse of vulnerable individuals, such as drug addicts, foreigners, and the homeless, to 24. Many of the abuses were filmed and shared in WhatsApp groups. The Public Prosecutor's Office and the PSP conducted 30 searches, leading to the detention of 15 officers and one civilian, as part of an inquiry into crimes including severe torture, rape, abuse of power, and qualified physical assault. The PSP director reiterated a 'zero tolerance' policy regarding these allegations.
The number of police officers detained in connection with the investigation into assaults at PSP stations has risen to 24, with Mário Vaz Maia, brother of singer Nininho, among the 15 newly arrested individuals.
The Centralised Gynaecology and Obstetrics Emergency Department of Loures-Odivelas/Tejo Estuary recorded 201 births during its inaugural month of operation, meeting expected performance targets.
The Portuguese Federation for Life is demanding that a Molotov cocktail attack on their recent March for Life be prosecuted as an act of terrorism, following the arrest of a suspect linked to an anarchist group.
Approximately 1,800 customers of E-Redes in areas affected by storm Kristin remained without electricity as of 5:00 PM on February 22. The EDP group company stated it is focused on restoring electricity supply. Earlier, 4,500 customers were reported without power. The storms have caused significant damage, resulting in 18 fatalities and affecting 90,000 students due to school closures. The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley, and Alentejo regions were the most impacted, with estimated damages in Seixal around 15 million euros.
Around 1,200 individuals have been displaced in mainland Portugal due to severe flooding, particularly in the Central region. The evacuations were carried out as a preventive measure, affecting areas such as Beira Baixa, Coimbra, Leiria, and the Lisbon area.
The arrival of Depression Marta is expected to bring heavy rain to Lisbon and Setúbal, with the most concerning period being between morning and early afternoon. Areas already facing complications may experience the worst impacts as this is the third depression to hit the region in a short span of time.
A corpse discovered at Lisbon's DIAP (Department of Investigation and Criminal Action) has prompted scrutiny not only of the investigation but of the role and rhetoric of journalists who present themselves as frontline combatants against crime. The incident raises questions about media ethics, the potential for sensationalism, the impact on public trust in criminal justice institutions, and whether self-styled ‘crime-fighter’ reporting helps or hinders serious investigative work and public safety. Analysts should examine how coverage frames the dead body and the institution, how it influences public perception, and what safeguards are needed to ensure responsible reporting and transparency in ongoing inquiries.
Criminal investigation unit PJ has arrested one suspect in the fatal shooting of a teenager in Amadora, amid a worrying pattern of violence in the municipality where six people have already been shot since the start of the year. The arrest highlights active police work but also raises analytical questions about underlying causes, public safety strategies and whether current policing and community interventions are sufficient to prevent further violent crime. Authorities say the inquiry continues as they seek to establish motive, possible links to other incidents and measures to restore public confidence.
At 18:00, the Chega party lodged a formal complaint reporting incidents of shots fired using prohibited weapons in Lisbon.
Two of the young men were sentenced to seven years and another two to eight years of effective imprisonment.
The utterly despicable gang rape of a 16-year-old in Loures, subsequently posted online and seen by as many as 32,000 people, has seen all young men involved handed ‘exemplary jail The post Jail for ‘influencers’ who shared images of gang rape over social media appeared first on Portugal Resident.
A group of social media influencers from the Loures area have received prison sentences ranging from 7 to 8 years following a rape conviction.
The ruling from the Lisbon North District Court states that the highest sentence imposed on the four defendants is eight years of effective imprisonment, and the lowest is seven years.
Observador publishes here the Right of Reply to the article 'ArtExtasia, the art school that produces erotic films in Sintra and where the Yoga Sect guru recruits new members'.
Observador publishes here the right of reply from Natha - Spiritual School of Yoga and Tantra of Lisbon regarding the article 'Yoga Sect. New testimonies from recruited women'.
Four influencers have been sentenced to effective prison terms for the crimes of rape and child pornography. The victim was a 16-year-old girl in Loures, in a case that gained notoriety after a video of the assault was shared on social media, garnering thousands of views. Leonardo Saraiva, Hugo Ribeiro, Francisco Martins, and Gabriel Malta received sentences ranging from seven to eight years. The judge ordered three of the defendants into preventive detention due to flight risk, while Hugo Ribeiro faces stricter coercive measures, including a ban on accessing digital environments. The defendants were also ordered to pay €50,000 in compensation to the victim.
Leão XIV spoke in Spanish and Catalan to deliver a message of unity. Early in the evening, he celebrated mass for more than 40,000 faithful at the Olympic Stadium in Barcelona.
This same phrase, painted elsewhere, could be understood in another way. Here, at the Lisbon synagogue, it can be nothing other than a racist and antisemitic hate crime. Opinion by Paulo Mendes Pinto
The CIL states that the act of vandalism occurred in a “particular international context,” that of the release of a video “involving controversial attitudes and statements by Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.”
The 122-year-old Lisbon Synagogue was found graffitied this Thursday with the phrase 'Free Palestine from the river to the sea'. The Jewish Community of Lisbon considers the act 'not innocent', as it uses a slogan employed 'as an expression and vehicle for intimidation, hostility, and hatred against Jews worldwide'.
Having a minority again, well-integrated into Western societies and their values, being violently persecuted could change everything for everyone.
He kicked an immigrant who was the target of a domestic violence case.
Mário Vaz Maia is among the group of 15 police officers and one nightclub security guard arrested in connection with the torture and assault case at the PSP Rato station in Lisbon. Coercive measures are expected to be announced on Monday.
Público reports that former military chiefs are criticising the AD's proposal for the Armed Forces, specifically the recommendation to create a 'civic-military' volunteer programme for young people. Meanwhile, the number of PSP officers arrested in the Lisbon police station torture case has risen to 24, with Observador noting that Mário Vaz Maia, brother of singer Nininho Vaz Maia, is among the 15 new detainees. Correio da Manhã adds that 70 individuals are involved in the criminal investigation into torture and abuse. Other headlines include rising pet insurance costs, the doubling of video surveillance in Lisbon, the government's plan for an extra tax on energy companies, and the rejection of the government's foreign expulsion law by the Superior Council of Administrative and Tax Courts.
Among the 15 new arrests of officers for assaults at police stations is the brother of singer Nininho Vaz Maia. From Berlin comes a warning regarding the escalation of left-wing extremism.
Three women have provided Observador with new testimonies regarding a yoga and tantra school in Lisbon with links to the Bivolaru movement. Mariana Marques Tiago is the guest.
The Natha yoga and tantra school in Lisbon recruits members through ArtExtasia retreats and training sessions. Women participate in nude sessions in Sintra and end up living in Hungary under strict rules.
A surprise inspection by the European Commission identifies 14 serious flaws in the quality of human resources, equipment, and oversight carried out by the PSP at Lisbon Airport. Goucha loses a dispute of over one million euros with the tax authorities, and more than half of companies report delays in payments to suppliers. Discover the top news stories...
