Immigrants ordered to depart from the nation (72 in total)
In a startling turn of events, Portuguese lawyer Filipa Santos Costa has accused AIMA, a company under investigation since 2019 for potential employment fraud, of violating the data protection rights of at least seventy individuals, mostly from India.
Santos Costa, who represents three of the affected immigrants, claims that the document sent to the notified individuals contained personal information such as names, places of birth, dates of birth, passport numbers, tax identification numbers, residence title numbers, and addresses in Portugal. The lawyer suggests that political reasons may be behind the notifications, as one of her clients is a full Portuguese citizen who has been ordered to leave the country.
The individuals, who have lived in Portugal for at least six years and contribute to the country, are witnesses, not suspects, in the ongoing investigation. The reason for the cancellation of their residence permits is the ongoing investigation into AIMA, the company they worked for.
The President of the Comissão Nacional de Protecção de Dados (CNPD), the body responsible for investigating violations of data protection rights in Portugal, has outlined several illegalities committed by AIMA. These include the violation of the right to prior hearing and the document sent to the notified individuals violating their data protection rights.
Santos Costa plans to file a complaint with the National Commission for Data Protection and the Ombudsman for Justice. She also guarantees that a lawsuit will be filed in Portuguese courts. The lawyer accuses AIMA of applying the principle of presumption of guilt instead of innocence.
Moreover, Santos Costa has suggested several judicial strategies to help her clients through legal channels. She mentions that the affected individuals have 20 days to leave the country, but she is hopeful that justice will prevail.
This case has raised concerns about data protection rights and the potential misuse of power in Portugal. As the investigation continues, Santos Costa remains committed to fighting for her clients and ensuring their rights are protected.
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