Amnesty International this Thursday denounced cases of people who received a T-shirt in favor of human rights before the Portugal-Nigeria football match in Alvalade and were subsequently denied access to the T-shirt.
“It was with sadness and regret that Amnesty International Portugal saw a solidarity action against migrant workers in Qatar being stopped by guards at the Alvalade Stadium,” said a statement from that organization in Portugal.
About a thousand T-shirts, resembling the vests of construction workers, of the ‘Forgotten Team’, the migrants who died, suffered injuries and suffered human rights violations in preparations for the 2022 World Cup, were delivered before Portugal-Nigeria, especially preparation.
According to Amnesty, several people denounced that guards at the site forced them to “take off their shirts and hand them over”, which was confirmed by a team of activists from that organization.
“After they received the same indication: that they could only enter if they took off their shirts and left them outside, in the trash. In the end, the security guards refused to return the shirts left behind to the activists of the organization,” you can read. on the note.
Amnesty adds that the security guards “justified this action by responding to people following directions from the Portuguese Football Federation”, an institution they have already asked for “urgent clarification”.
A source from the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) explained to Lusa that the organization of the meeting, led by UEFA, had not been informed of the initiative, attributing this action to “some overzealous guards”.
According to the same source, from the moment the federation found out about the matter, other supporters could enter with the jerseys, he defended.
“We hope that everything is nothing more than a misunderstanding and that the Portuguese Football Federation can clarify or dissociate this sad episode of disrespect for the freedom of expression of our squad’s supporters,” said Pedro A. Neto, Amnesty’s Executive Director InternationalPortugal.
That organization “fears that this episode is yet another blemish on an event that should also be an opportunity for inclusion, respect and promotion of human rights,” because it feels a right to freedom of expression has been limited.
The Men’s World Cup will take place between November 20 and December 18, with the Portuguese team qualifying and being placed in Group H, with Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea.
Source: DN
