Six Portuguese men have been jailed after they were found guilty of sexual abuse at a state-run children's home.
Carlos Silvino was given an 18-year sentence after confessing to 639 charges relating to the abuse of children or procuring them for others.
His co-defendants, including the former TV presenter Carlos Cruz, were jailed for between five and seven years.
The boys, now aged between 16 and 22, were all residents at the Casa Pia children's home in the capital, Lisbon.
The panel of three judges in the case spent most of the day reading the full verdict in each of the hundreds of sexual abuse accusations.
After ruling that the vast majority of the charges had been proven, they handed down guilty verdicts to six of the seven people on trial.
...
One of the victims, Bernardo Teixeira, hailed the sentences.
"It was very good to hear our names as a proven fact, and to know that really somebody believes us, principally the panel of judges," he told RTP Internacional TV.
"People said we were lying, that it was all made up, and so it is very healthy and positive for us finally to have proof that we were not lying."
Another victim, Bernardo Tavares, said: "It is difficult, but... when we hear our name linked to proven facts this gives us more strength."
"There is anxiety, tensions are running high in there, our seats are probably the hottest because we have waited many years for this day. It is one of the days we have most looked forward to, the day when finally justice will be done and when finally those who have committed crimes will be sentenced for them."
Pedro Namora, a lawyer and former pupil who helped expose the scandal in 2002, earlier said: "I hope this day will allow us to show the country that the boys have told the truth from the start."
"These men have to be condemned, they committed barbarous crimes against humanity." BBC News
Six jailed in Portuguese sex abuse case
Six years after a trial began over claims of sex abuse at Lisbon’s Casa Pia children’s home, heavy jail terms have been handed out.
Well-known figures have been found guilty of hundreds of charges related to abuse that goes back to the 1990s.
...
A former Casa Pia student and victims’ lawyer, Pedro Namora, said: “For so many years we have been persecuted, threatened. They used everything, and now it comes out that we spoke the truth." Euronews
Note: only six jailed (or maybe not...)
Sex abuse trial in Portugal set to end *
In Portugal a six year trial – one of the largest in the country’s legal history and known as the Casa Pia trial - is set to reach a conclusion.
Carlos Silvinho has admitted to participating in a network that systematically abused children and implicated six other defendants including Carlos Cruz a popular television presenter who is alleged to have been part of the sex ring at the Casa Pia orphanage. He is joined in the dock by former Unesco ambassador Jorge Ritto.
It is claimed a woman provided her house for meetings with the children and the alleged pedophiles
The court is set to rule on 800 alleged crimes at Casa Pia a 230 year old institution. Not only has the protracted trial produced chilling testimonies it has also resulted in changes in Portugals legal system.
One victim voiced concern that the accused were getting more support than the victims.
“Tomorrow on Friday, I hope justice is delivered, because I think the court has played enough with us, the victims. The accused are getting more support and protection than the we are,” said Pedro Custódio, a former student at Casa Pia. Euronews
All knew of the abuse
The former secretary of state for families told parliament last December that Antonio Ramalho Eanes, the former president, Jaime Gama, the former foreign secretary, and the police all knew of the abuse. Teresa Costa Macedo said state television had filmed six boys who told Mr Eanes about the abuse, but had not broadcast the footage. The Independent
Note: it happened with Lisbon's people... and the European Union did nothing (what's about Human Rights?)!
