23th January 2008

Portugal Migration

European Humanist Forum’s Cultures, Migration and International Cooperation Area gets indignant about the inhuman treatment that 23 immigrants from Morocco suffered due to the behaviour of the Portuguese Government through the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Foreign Services. These immigrants came to Portuguese territory on December 2007 and were victims of an immigrants trafficking group, which acts in Morocco.

These immigrants, as thousands of others who come to Europe, were obliged to run away from degrading situations of vital importance that took place in their countries. They have the right to look for better life conditions in our continent. In Portugal, they were willing to cooperate with police forces in order to denounce the illegal immigration trafficking group, which allowed them to go out of their country.

The Portuguese Government expelled them from Portugal in a rapid manner, trying to hide the real situation of the immigrants even when Law foresees mechanisms of protection for this kind of situations.

Some Portuguese politicians appealed to the “humanity” of the Minister of Internal Affairs in order to issue a Residence Permit for these immigrants. They thought that their expulsion would be the same as condemn them to the violence of the trafficking groups which mistreated them before. This appeal obtained no impact and, in fact, when these immigrants were expelled, they contacted an organization, which supported them and informed people that these immigrants were sent to Casablanca prison, where they received neither food nor drink, and suffered physical violence.

For European humanists, this behaviour is inhuman and violent. We demand respect for human life and fundamental rights for all human beings. 

If you want to help, please, make a claim and send it to:

Ministério da Administração Interna

Fax
+351 213 468 031

E-mail : dirp@sg.mai.gov.pt

Serviço de Estrangeiros e Fronteiras

Fax: +351 217 140 332
E-Mail: sef@sef.pt

Kind regards,

Natacha Mota