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TC_19980249 AI generated

Constitutional court declares military defense guarantee restriction unconstitutional and grants relief to the accused.

Case Number TC_19980249
Court / Authority
Jurisdiction Portugal (PT)
Outcome Allowed / Granted
Open official source Machine-readable Markdown (.md)

Legislator summary

AI generated

The Constitutional Court granted the appeal against a military court decision, ordering its reform in line with prior rulings. The case involved a challenge to Article 431(2) of the Military Justice Code, which the prosecution argued restricted the accused's rights. The court ruled that this restriction violated constitutional principles of equality and defense guarantees established in Articles 13 and 32 of the Constitution.

Legislator headnote

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Articles 13 and 32(1) of the Constitution; The restriction of defense guarantees in military proceedings is unconstitutional when it is disproportionate and unjustified.

Keywords

AI generated
military justice code defense guarantees constitutional equality procedural rights inadmissible restriction constitutional review military proceedings

Cited Legislation

AI generated
Article 13 of the Constitution
Article 32(1) of the Constitution
Article 431(2) of the Military Justice Code

Cited Case Law

AI generated
Acórdão nº 13/98
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61/97
Portuguese Constitutional Court dismisses military appeal as it lacks constitutional challenge grounds.

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Full text

Acórdão 249/98

ACÓRDÃO Nº 249/98

Proc. nº 42/97

1ª Secção

Cons: Rel. Assunção Esteves

Acordam no Tribunal Constitucional:

I. Neste processo, vindo do Supremo Tribunal Militar, sendo recorrentes A... e o Ministério Público, suscita-se a questão de constitucionalidade da norma do artigo 431º, nº 2, do Código de Justiça Militar, que é confrontada com os princípios da igualdade e do asseguramento das garantias de defesa, consagrados nos artigos 13º e 32º ,nº1, da Constituição.

II. O Tribunal Constitucional, no acordão nº 13/98, D.R. I Série A, de 7-02-1998, declarou a inconstitucionalidade, com força obrigatória geral, da norma do artigo 431º, nº 2, do Código de Justiça Militar, por violação dos artigos 13º e 32º, nº 1 da Constituição da República, "na medida em que restringe de forma desproporcionada e injustificada as garantias de defesa do arguido no processo penal militar".

III. Em aplicação da declaração de inconstitucionalidade contida no acordão nº 13/98, concede-se provimento ao recurso, determinando a reforma da decisão recorrida em harmonia com o sentido da mesma declaração.

Lisboa, 5 de Março de 1998

Assunção Esteves

Vítor Nunes de Almeida

Alberto Tavares da Costa

Armindo Ribeiro Mendes

José Manuel Cardoso da Costa