Vale de Judeus prison reports two inmate deaths in four days

Two inmates died at the Vale de Judeus prison in Portugal within a four-day period between August 13 and August 17. The incidents have raised significant concerns regarding health and safety standards within the prison system.

The first death involved a 35-year-old inmate who had been treated at the Vila Franca de Xira Hospital for abdominal complaints. Despite being discharged with medical instructions for isolation and continued medication, he was found unconscious in his cell on August 14. The Direção-Geral de Reinserção e Serviços Prisionais (DGRSP) stated that all medical recommendations were followed, and the Polícia Judiciária conducted necessary forensic examinations.

The second death occurred on August 17, involving a 73-year-old inmate who was found lifeless in his cell during morning cell opening. This individual had returned to the facility only one day prior following a short-term temporary release.

Advocacy groups, including the Associação de Apoio ao Recluso, have criticized the handling of these cases, questioning whether medical decisions and prison overcrowding contributed to the fatalities.