Seven Angolan activists were prevented from boarding a TAP flight to Cape Verde, with a stopover in Lisbon, because they allegedly did not have authorization from AIMA to transit through Portugal.
Angolan activists who were preparing to travel to Cape Verde, via Lisbon, claim to have been prevented from boarding in Luanda, allegedly due to a lack of authorization from the Agency for Integration, Migrations and Asylum (AIMA), responsible for migration processes in Portugal.
In a video posted on Facebook, activist Jeiel de Freitas reported that the group, made up of seven young people, intended to participate in an exchange promoted by the organization Friends of Angola, in Cape Verde, traveling by TAP with a stopover in Lisbon, as there are no direct flights between Angola and Cape Verde.
According to what he said, an airline employee informed that all passengers transiting through Portugal must present an authorization issued by AIMA.
The activist questioned the legal basis of the requirement, stating that all participants had checked in online and that there is no public information from TAP indicating the need for this document.
According to Jeiel de Freitas, the group suspects that the impediment may have resulted from “superior orders”, considering the episode a “serious” violation of human rights and freedom of movement.
Contacted by Lusa, TAP limited itself to stating that it “always complies with the instructions of the competent authorities” regarding the admissibility of boarding, without clarifying the alleged requirement for authorization from AIMA.
Activist Florence Capita, a member of the group, also expressed her discontent on social media, saying she was “in disbelief” with the situation. “It is a deeply sad and worrying situation, a reflection of the country we have and how far we still need to go,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
The young woman lamented that, in the 50 years of independence, Angola continues to be “marked by successive violations of human rights, the normalization of injustice and the lack of accountability in many spheres”.
He also added that the group was followed to the place where they were staying, considering the episode “a national shame” and a warning to “abandon conformity”.
