In the interests of “human dignity”, the government is planning to close eight rundown jails and build five new ones in a €446.5 million plan to span the next decade.
A study by the university of Lisbon says the timing could not be more opportune given that “various prisons are seriously overcrowded” with major security problems as well.
The news comes as yet another prisoner escaped confinement, location unknown.
This week’s jailbreak follows a number of others – the most high-profile of which involves a young man who has since openly taunted the authorities via social media, posting photographs of himself enjoying freedom (click here).
Meantime, prison guards in Lisbon have been protesting against what they call the “authoritarian attitude” of prison governor Celso Manata.
Chanting “resign, resign”, the protest was aimed at winning changes to the guards’ professional statute so that they can enjoy better working conditions.
