Gomes Da Costa and Others v. Portugal

FOURTH SECTION

Application no. 42782/21 Telmo GOMES DA COSTA against Portugal and 19 other applications

(see appended table)

The European Court of Human Rights (Fourth Section), sitting on 6 February 2025 as a Committee composed of:

Anne Louise Bormann , President , Sebastian Răduleţu, András Jakab , judges ,

and Viktoriya Maradudina, Acting Deputy Section Registrar,

Having regard to the above applications lodged on the various dates indicated in the appended table,

Having regard to the observations submitted by the respondent Government and the observations in reply submitted by the applicants,

Having deliberated, decides as follows:

FACTS AND PROCEDURE

The list of applicants is set out in the appended table.

The applicant’s complaints under Article 3 of the Convention concerning the inadequate conditions of detention were communicated to the Portuguese Government (“the Government”). In some of the applications, complaints based on the same facts were also communicated under other provisions of the Convention.

THE LAW

Having regard to the similar subject matter of the applications, the Court finds it appropriate to examine them jointly in a single decision.

In the present applications, having examined all the material before it, the Court considers that for the reasons stated below, the complaints about the conditions of detention are inadmissible.

The applicants were detained in different prison facilities. During their last, most recent and/or entire period of their detention (for further details see appended table) the applicants were detained at Carregueira Prison (application no. 42782/2); Coimbra Prison (applications nos. 25231/22, 40615/22, 40624/22 and 44226/22); Sintra Prison (applications nos. 25578/22, 25580/22, 25585/22 and 46615/22); Pinheiro da Cruz Prison (applications nos. 31799/22 and 4357/22); Caxias Prison (applications nos. 38237/22, 41897/22 and 25583/22); Alcoentre Prison (application no. 38244/22); Izeda Prison (applications nos. 47611/22 and 47638/22); Vale de Judeus Prison (application no. 49466/22) and Elvas Prison (applications nos. 49655/22 and 49681/22).

Having regard to all the available material and the parties’ arguments, the Court finds that it cannot establish that the applicants suffered in these prison facilities from severe overcrowding of the kind that could entail, on its own, a violation of Article 3 (see Muršić v. Croatia [GC], no. 7334/13, 20 October 2016) nor can it be found that the cumulative effect of the other aspects of the detention which the applicants complained about reached the threshold of severity required to characterise the treatment as inhuman or degrading within the meaning of Article 3 (see Bokor v. Portugal , (dec.) no.5227/18, § 34, 10 December 2020).

It follows that the complaints concerning these periods of detention in the facilities indicated above (for further details see the appended table) are manifestly ill-founded and must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 3 a) and 4 of the Convention.

Concerning additional complaints under Article 3 raised by some of the applicants in respect of other periods of their detention, in light of the conclusion above, the Court finds that the applicants’ transfer to a prison or cell with adequate conditions of detention interrupted the “continuing situation” of their conditions of detention. Therefore, the complaints concerning the conditions of detention prior to their last prison transfer are belated (see Ananyev and Others v. Russia , nos. 42525/07 and 60800/08, §§ 75-78, 10 January 2012). Accordingly, these complaints must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 1 and 4 of the Convention.

Concerning applications nos. 42782/22, 31799/22, 38237/22, 38244/22, 41897/22, 44226/22, 47611/22, 47638/22, 49655/22, 49681/22, relying on Article 13 of the Convention, the applicants complained of the lack of an effective remedy in respect of their conditions of detention. The Court notes that, according to its established case-law, Article 13 of the Convention applied only where an individual has an “arguable claim” to be victim of a violation of a Convention right (see Boyle and Rice v. the United Kingdom , 27 April 1988, § 52, Series A no. 131; and Narcisio v. Netherlands (dec.), no. 47810/99, 27 January 2005). Having regard to the findings above as to the applicants’ complaints under Article 3 of the Convention about their conditions of detention, the Court concludes that they are not “arguable” and that therefore Article 13 is not applicable.

It follows that this part of the applications must be rejected in accordance with Article 35 §§ 3 (a) and 4 of the Convention.

For these reasons, the Court, unanimously,

Decides to join the applications;

Declares the applications inadmissible.

Done in English and notified in writing on 6 March 2025.

Viktoriya Maradudina Anne Louise Bormann Acting Deputy Registrar President

APPENDIX

List of applications raising complaints under Article 3 of the Convention

(inadequate conditions of detention)

No.

Application no.

Date of introduction

Applicant’s name

Year of birth

Representative’s name and location

Facility

Start and end date

Duration

Sq. m per inmate

Specific grievances

42782/21

02/08/2021

Telmo GOMES DA COSTA

1973

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Lisbon Judicial Prison

16/06/2016 to

02/09/2016

2 months and 18 days

Caxias Prison

02/09/2016 to

28/07/2017

10 months and 27 days

Carregueira Prison

28/07/2017 to

10/08/2021

4 years and 14 days

2 inmates

3.15 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

1 toilet

5 inmates

5.32 m²

1 toilet

mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, overcrowding, lack of requisite medical assistance

overcrowding

lack of toiletries, lack of or insufficient electric light

25231/22

12/05/2022

Luís Miguel CORREIA DE MELO

1986

Mendes Martins Rodrigo

Lisbon

Coimbra Prison

19/11/2019 to

05/12/2019

17 days

Coimbra Prison

05/12/2019 to

24/07/2021

1 year and 7 months and 20 days

Coimbra Prison

24/07/2021 to

16/02/2022

6 months and 24 days

Coimbra Prison

16/02/2022 to

22/09/2023

1 year and 7 months and 7 days

5 inmates

4.32 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6.19 m²

1 toilet

5 inmate

8.35 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6.19 m²

1 toilet

sharing cells with inmates infected with contagious disease

idem

idem

idem

25578/22

18/05/2022

Oleg POMPENKO

1959

Gaspar Schwalbach José

Lisbon

Lisbon Judicial Prison

31/01/2019 to

08/01/2020

11 months and 9 days

Caxias Prison

08/01/2020 to

11/05/2021

1 year and 4 months and 4 days

Sintra Prison

11/05/2021 to

06/09/2022

1 year and 3 months and 27 days

2 inmates

3.20 m²

1 toilet

3 inmates

3.66 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

5.18 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, inadequate temperature, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food

idem

-

25580/22

18/05/2022

Denys KRAVCHENKO

1978

Gaspar Schwalbach José

Lisbon

Lisbon Judicial Prison

31/01/2019 to

15/02/2019

16 days

Caxias Prison

15/02/2019 to

16/11/2021

2 years and 9 months and 2 days

Sintra Prison

16/11/2021 to

30/08/2022

9 months and 15 days

2 inmates

3.2 m²

1 toilet

4 inmates

4 m²

1 toilet

3 inmates

4.2 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, inadequate temperature, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of privacy for toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food

idem

-

25583/22

18/05/2022

Ruslan SUTA

1982

Gaspar Schwalbach José

Lisbon

Lisbon Central Prison

31/01/2019 to

20/02/2019

21 days

Caxias Prison

20/02/2019 to

03/02/2021

1 year and 11 months and 15 days

Caxias Prison

03/02/2021 to

11/05/2022

1 year and 3 months and 9 days

Caxias Prison

11/05/2022 to

31/01/2023

8 months and 21 days

2 inmates

3.15 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

5.5 m²

1 toilet

10 inmates

4.10 m²

1 toilet

4 inmates

4 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, inadequate temperature, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food

-

-

-

25585/22

18/05/2022

Dmytro OVSIANNIKOV

1986

Gaspar Schwalbach José

Lisbon

Lisbon Judicial Prison

31/01/2019 to

20/02/2019

21 days

Caxias Prison

20/02/2019 to

16/11/2021

2 years and 8 months and 28 days

Sintra Prison

16/11/2021 to

23/08/2022

9 months and 8 days

2 inmates

3.2 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

11 m²

1 toilet

3 inmates

4.2 m²

1 toilet

inadequate temperature, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, poor quality of food, overcrowding

-

-

31799/22

01/08/2022

Luis Filipe FIGUEIREDO SOBREIRA

1966

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Lisbon Central Prison

15/12/2012 to

12/04/2018

5 years and 3 months and 29 days

Pinheiro da Cruz Prison

12/04/2018 to

07/01/2020

1 year and 8 months and 27 days

Pinheiro da Cruz Prison

07/01/2020 to

18/10/2023

3 years and 9 months and 12 days

Pinheiro da Cruz Prison

18/10/2023

pending

More than 4 months and 12 days

2 inmates

3.72 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

5.55 m²

1 toilet

3 inmates

5.47 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

10.48 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, lack of fresh air, inadequate temperature, poor quality of food, mouldy or dirty cell, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of requisite medical assistance, lack of privacy for toilet

-

-

-

38237/22

01/08/2022

Pedro Miguel ANDRADE ARAÚJO

1985

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Caxias Prison

23/04/2019 to

28/11/2022

3 years and 7 months and 6 days

10 inmates

>3.37 m²

1 toilet

poor quality of food

38244/22

01/08/2022

Ezequiel António DA SILVA CANDEIAS

1982

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Alcoentre Prison

30/07/2021 to

09/02/2022

6 months and 11 days

Alcoentre Prison

09/02/2022 to

04/05/2022

2 months and 26 days

Alcoentre Prison

04/05/2022 to

12/12/2022

7 months and 9 days

Alcoentre Prison

12/12/2022

pending

More than 5 months and 27 days

2 inmates

4 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

5.20 m²

1 toilet

5 inmates

3.90 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

5.20 m²

1 toilet

poor quality of food, lack of fresh air

idem

idem

idem

40615/22

12/08/2022

Danilo MONTEIRO CARDOSO

1980

Mendes Martins Rodrigo

Lisbon

Aveiro Prison

12/06/2015 to

18/04/2016

10 months and 7 days

Coimbra Prison

18/04/2016 to

03/05/2017

1 year and 16 days

Coimbra Prison

03/05/2017 to

22/12/2021

4 years and 7 months and 20 days

Coimbra Prison

22/12/2021 to

28/12/2022

1 year and 7 days

Coimbra Prison

28/12/2022 to

08/04/2023

3 months and 12 days

6 inmates

3.72 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6.20 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

3.10 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6.20 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

8.37 m²

1 toilet

bunk beds, inadequate temperature, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of fresh air, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of privacy for toilet, mouldy or dirty cell, no or restricted access to potable water, overcrowding, passive smoking, poor quality of food, lack of requisite medical assistance, no or restricted access to shower

-

No privacy for toilet

-

-

40624/22

12/08/2022

João Filipe CARDOSO PINTO DAMAS

1989

Mendes Martins Rodrigo

Lisbon

Coimbra Prison

16/09/2020 to

30/06/2023

2 years and 9 months and 15 days

Coimbra Prison

30/06/2023 to

17/11/2023

4 months and 19 days

2 inmates

3.10 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6.20 m²

1 toilet

poor quality of food

-

41897/22

22/08/2022

Rodrigo DE MOURA PEREIRA DO VALLE BRAK-LAMY

1985

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Caxias Prison

01/03/2019 to

04/01/2021

1 year and 10 months and 4 days

Caxias Prison

04/01/2021 to

27/12/2021

11 months and 24 days

Caxias Prison

27/12/2021 to

23/02/2023

1 year and 1 month and 28 days

2 inmates

5.5 m²

1 toilet

10 inmates

4.10 m²

1 toilet

7 inmates

4.34 m²

1 toilet

lack of toiletries, absence of an alarm system in the cell

idem

idem

43574/22

06/09/2022

Slavko VESELINOVIĆ

1968

Horta Prison

29/05/2015 to

28/07/2015

2 months

Angra do Heroismo Prison

28/07/2015 to

14/09/2021

6 years and 1 month and 18 days

Pinheiro da Cruz Prison

14/09/2021 to

28/11/2022

1 year and 2 months and 15 days

3 inmates

1.66 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

1 toilet

2 inmates

3 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, lack of or insufficient electric light, humidity, mouldy or dirty cell, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of requisite medical assistance

overcrowding, lack of privacy for toilet, no separation between shower and cell, poorly insulated windows, humidity, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air, lack of or restricted access to leisure or educational activities, poor quality of food

-

44226/22

06/09/2022

Manuel António MONTEFERREIRO FIDALGO

1974

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Braga Prison

08/03/2019 to

20/07/2020

1 year and 4 months and 13 days

Coimbra Prison

20/07/2020 to

16/09/2020

1 month and 28 days

Coimbra Prison

16/09/2020

pending

More than 3 years and 2 months and 22 days

2 inmates

4.55 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

15 m²

1 toilet

2 inmates

3.10 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, mouldy or dirty cell, passive smoking, lack of privacy for toilet, inadequate temperature, poor quality of food

-

-

46615/22

26/09/2022

Malik Shabaz SPENCER

1991

Gaspar Schwalbach José

Lisbon

Lisbon Central Prison

10/01/2020 to

25/05/2022

2 years and 7 months and 8 days

Sintra Prison

25/05/2022 to

01/03/2023

9 months and 5 days

2 inmates

2.5 m²

1 toilet

3 inmates

4.20 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, lack of privacy for toilet, lack of fresh air, no or restricted access to warm water, humidity, mouldy or dirty cell, lack or inadequate furniture, infestation of cell with insects/rodents

-

47611/22

03/10/2022

Agustin RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUES

1996

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Porto Prison

11/04/2018 to

06/11/2019

1 year and 6 months and 27 days

Izeda Prison

06/11/2019 to

03/03/2023

3 years and 3 months and 26 days

2 inmates

3 m²

1 toilet

6 inmates

3.05 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, lack of fresh air

-

47638/22

03/10/2022

Sérgio Paulo DOS SANTOS BORGES

1977

Izeda Prison

26/01/2022

pending

More than 1 year and 9 months and 8 days

6 inmates

3.16 m²

1 toilet

-

49466/22

13/10/2022

Fábio Filipe SANTANA NUNES

1987

Mendes Martins Rodrigo

Lisbon

Vale de Judeus Prison

29/03/2022 to

18/09/2023

1 year and 5 months and 21 days

1 inmate

5.7 m²

1 toilet

-

49655/22

17/10/2022

Fábio David DA SILVA AGOSTINHO

1988

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Beja Prison

11/03/2017 to

01/04/2021

4 years and 24 days

Pinheiro da Cruz Prison

01/04/2021 to

01/09/2022

1 year and 5 months and 1 day

Elvas Prison

01/09/2022 to

09/03/2023

6 months and 9 days

7 inmates

3 m²

1 toilet

1 inmate

6 m²

1 toilet

4 inmates

3.87 m²

1 toilet

overcrowding, poor quality of food, lack of or insufficient quantity of food, lack of requisite medical assistance, inadequate temperature, humidity, lack of privacy for toilet, infestation of cell with insects/rodents, lack of or poor quality of bedding and bed linen, lack of or insufficient physical exercise in fresh air

49681/22

17/10/2022

Soulimane BERDADI

1968

Carreto Vítor

Torres Vedras

Elvas Prison

08/08/2022 to

30/09/2022

1 month and 23 days

5 inmates

3.10 m²

1 toilet

-