puníveis

Puníveis is a Portuguese adjective meaning punishable or liable to punishment. In legal use, it describes acts or persons that are subject to penalties under the normative order of a jurisdiction. The term derives from the verb punir (to punish) with the suffix -ível and is widely employed in Portuguese-speaking countries such as Portugal, Brazil, Angola, and Mozambique.

Definition and scope: A conduct is punível when it violates a norm that prescribes a penalty. In criminal law, punishability usually requires legality (the act is prohibited by law), typicity (the conduct fits a defined crime), and culpability (the offender’s fault). Depending on the legal system, additional elements such as causation, material damage, or risk may be considered, along with the corresponding sanction prescribed by law. Punibilidade can also cover non-criminal sanctions, including administrative fines, disciplinary measures, or civil penalties. The same act can be punível under multiple regimes, yielding different penalties.

Limitations and defenses: In many systems, punibilidade can be affected or negated by legal defenses or excludentes, such as legitimate defense, necessity, incompetence, or other jurisdictional rules. Some jurisdictions distinguish between imputability and punishability, recognizing that certain individuals may be exempt from punishment due to age, capacity, or other factors.

See also: tipicidade, culpabilidade, legalidade, nulidade, excludentes de punibilidade. Examples of puníveis acts include theft, fraud, embezzlement, and various offenses or violations that attract penalties under the applicable legal framework.