GNR soldier accused of torturing immigrants gets 6 years in prison

Written By Lara Silva

Ruben Candeias, a GNR military soldier accused of torturing immigrants in Odemira, Alentejo, was sentenced on Tuesday to 6 years in effective prison. The other six suspects were sentenced to suspended sentences. 

The seven GNR military officers were on trial for a total of 32 crimes against immigrants in Odemira, including kidnapping, abuse of power, and violence. 

The trial included soldiers Rúben Candeias, João Lopes, Nelson Lima, Diogo Ribeiro, Nuno Andrade, Carlos Figueiredo, and Paulo Cunha. 

Ruben Candeias’ lawyer has not yet decided how to move forward but believes “any effective prison sentencing is excessive.” 

The Public Ministry defended the convictions of the seven accused and reminded the public that three of the accused have been convicted in similar cases involving immigrants and their functions at GNR. 

He went on to say that the accused “did not fulfill a single one of their duties” in the GNR and chose immigrants as their victims to their vulnerability. 

This trial came about as Judiciary Police had found videos and images of immigrants being allegedly beaten, humiliated, and tortured on 5 of the accused’s phones.

Stay up to date
Subscribe To Portugal.com's Newsletter

Receive the latest news, travel information, stories, offers and more!

Invalid email address
Give it a try. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Join our FB group Portugal Travel & Living for all things Portugal and news updates

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Follow Us

513FansLike
5,731FollowersFollow
159FollowersFollow

Most Popular

Expat Guide: Moving to Lisbon

Moving to a new city is always daunting, especially if you are relocating to a whole new country. If you are moving to Lisbon...

The 2024 US Presidential Election and Its Impact on Migration to Portugal

The results of the 2024 US presidential election have sparked renewed interest in international migration, particularly to Portugal through its Golden Visa program. As...

D8 – Portugal Digital Nomad Visa

In October 2022, Portugal made it an even more exciting time to be a digital nomad with the launch of the Portugal Digital Nomad...

Latest Articles