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The Interior Minister received the Ukrainian ambassador on Friday to report on the decision to pay compensation to the family of the murdered Ukrainian citizen in the custody of the SEF and the ongoing efforts to determine responsibilities.
According to a statement released this Friday by the Ministry of Interior Administration (MAI), the Ukrainian ambassador in Lisbon, Inna Ohnivets, was received by Minister Eduardo Cabrita with the purpose of being given “a note of the decisions taken by the Government regarding the death of citizen Ihor Homeniuk, in March, at the facilities of the Aliens and Borders Service at Lisbon airport ”.
Following the request for condolences transmitted at the beginning of April to the family of Ihor Homeniuk, through the Ukrainian embassy in Lisbon, Eduardo Cabrita delivered a letter this Friday to the widow, Mrs. Oksana Homeniuk, informing her of the decision of the Government. will assume, in the name of the Portuguese State, the responsibility of the payment of the indemnifications “.
Eduardo Cabrita “also disclosed the ongoing efforts to clarify the events that occurred at the Lisbon airport, as well as the respective criminal and disciplinary responsibilities,” the statement read.
The MAI note adds that the ambassador reiterated the “full commitment of the Portuguese authorities in solving the case” of the ambassador.
In turn, Ambassador Inna Ohnivets “transmitted an invitation from the Government of Ukraine for the Minister of the Interior to visit Kiev, in order to meet with his counterpart to discuss issues of common interest.”
At the press conference on Thursday after the Council of Ministers, Eduardo Cabrita listed the various steps taken since the death of the citizen, including a meeting he held with the Ukrainian ambassador.
The minister has been criticized by opposition parties, some called for his resignation, stating that he cannot remain in office, but Cabrita said, at the same conference, that he only leaves office by decision of the chief. Government, which today reiterated “total confidence” in its minister.
Also on Thursday, the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, suggested that if the case does not correspond to an isolated situation, but to a form of systemic action by the SEF, then it is necessary to “change the protagonists.”
On March 30, the three SEF inspectors suspected of being involved in the attacks were detained by the PJ and the MAI fired the SEF officials in the direction of the airport borders.
The death of Ihor Homenyuk led to the indictment of three SEF inspectors for qualified homicide, who are under house arrest and whose trial is scheduled to begin on January 20, 2021 in the Lisbon criminal court.
According to the prosecution, Homenyuk was isolated in the world medical ward from the remaining foreign passengers, where he remained until the next day, having been “tied in his arms and legs.”
The inspectors handcuffed his hands behind his back, bandaged his elbows and gave him an unspecified number of punches and kicks to the body.
“With the offended person prostrated on the ground, the accused, also using an extendable stick, continued to kick, hitting the victim on the trunk. Upon leaving the scene, the accused left the victim prostrate, handcuffed and with his feet tied with bandages “. the Public Ministry.
The attacks by the SEF inspectors caused Ihor Homenyuk “several traumatic injuries that were a direct cause” of his death.
The Homenyuk case led to the resignation of the director and deputy director of Borders at the Lisbon airport and the departure, on Wednesday and at his request, of the director of the SEF, Cristina Gatões, and also to the opening of 12 disciplinary proceedings against the SI inspectors F.
