One of the whistleblowers of moral harassment at Instituto Superior Técnico was subsequently targeted by a disciplinary process, initiated at the request of the person named in the complaint. The case involves a complaint of moral harassment at work presented by one professor against another, which ultimately resulted in disciplinary procedures against the initial complainant.
Rogério Colaço, president of Instituto Superior Técnico, defended that opening the disciplinary process does not constitute intimidation, but rather the application of the principle of "equality" in treating the parties involved. According to Colaço, following this principle means both parties should be treated the same way when there are cross-accusations or pending proceedings.
The situation raises questions about whistleblower protection in academic settings and the balance between guaranteeing defense rights of those named in complaints and preventing those same rights from being used to intimidate those who report irregularities. The article comes in the context of broader debates about moral harassment in higher education in Portugal.
