Portugal's Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum (AIMA) has ordered some Belarusian citizens who were granted temporary protection to leave the country.

Source: SIC Notícias, a Portuguese cable news channel; European Pravda

Details: AIMA sent voluntary departure orders to Belarusians who arrived from Ukraine after Russia launched its full-scale invasion and received temporary protection in Portugal. They now have 20 days to leave the country voluntarily, otherwise they face deportation.

Some Belarusians say that they left their country in 2020 after taking part in protests against Alexander Lukashenko's regime and fear arrest and persecution if deported.

Quote from a Belarusian woman named Tetiana: "I posted a lot on social media in support of Ukraine and against Lukashenko's dictatorship. You can be arrested just for a 'like' [on social media]. And I [published] posts [there]."

More details: In a reply to SIC Notícias, AIMA said that any person with temporary protection status, adult or minor, may receive a voluntary departure order.

SIC Notícias reported about at least one case in which Portugal has cancelled temporary protection for a child: a ten-year-old girl born in Russia to Ukrainian parents has recently had her status revoked.

Quote from the family's lawyer, Daniela Castro: "They [AIMA] believe that the child can return to her country of origin because there is no armed conflict there."

Background:

• On 15 July, the Council of the European Union approved an official decision to extend the directive on temporary protection for Ukrainians in the European Union until 4 March 2027.
• Some EU member states also granted this status to foreign nationals who left Ukraine after the full-scale invasion, but are now phasing it out.

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