Complaints Filed on 30 April 2026 Target Regional Chega Leaders
The Islamic Cultural Center of Madeira (CCIM) has filed several complaints with the Public Prosecutor’s Office, accusing regional leaders of the Chega party of defamation and hate speech. Among those named is Francisco Gomes, a member of Portugal’s parliament elected for Madeira.
The case follows weeks of public statements and social media posts in which the center says false and discriminatory claims were made about its activities and members.
It has a psychological impact, and I see everything my husband goes through and all the fear we share. We had to install an alarm system at home just to feel some security, at least at night.
Lisette, wife of Umair Shahzad Tariq, President of the Islamic Cultural Center of Madeira, TVI/CNN Portugal
Umair adds: "They come to my house, take photos and videos of my house, and make them public. Many of their followers are constantly sending hate comments. The most intense comments say things like 'kill these bastards' or 'burn their mosque'“.
CCIM President Cites Repeated False Claims and Daily Videos
Umair Tariq, president of the CCIM, told Lusa that the situation has escalated over time, with repeated statements targeting the Muslim community.
He added that the organization is using legal means available under the Constitution but does not know when the situation will come to an end.
Commission Opinion Dated 17 Unambigously Finds Hate Crime Evidence
The Commission for Religious Freedom (CLR) issued an opinion on 17 March concluding that statements made by Francisco Gomes and other Chega officials constitute a crime of discrimination and incitement to hatred.
According to the commission, the remarks go beyond political criticism and instead target a religious group as a whole, affecting the dignity and security of Muslims living in Madeira.
The opinion was approved unanimously by its 11 members, including representatives linked to the Catholic Church.
In the document, approved unanimously by all 11 members of the CLR, including the two members appointed by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference, among whom is Judge Pedro Vaz Patto from the Porto Court of Appeal, it is stated: “When it is said that people of Islamic faith are ‘parasites’, ‘bandits’, ‘terrorists’, ‘assassins’, ‘rapists’, ‘pedophiles’, or ‘serpents disguised as lambs, who, under the guise of humanism, seek to enslave us’. Or when it is said (without any evidence to support these claims or any reason to believe them to be true) that members of the Islamic Cultural Center in Madeira belong to a malicious and harmful organization, ‘a front for international terrorist groups’, responsible for money laundering, extortion, and corruption”, such statements “unambiguously constitute the crime punishable under Article 240, paragraph 1, point b, of the Criminal Code: defamation of a group of people on account of their Islamic faith.”
Legal Action Includes Criminal Inquiry and Civil Case in Funchal
In addition to complaints filed with prosecutors, a criminal investigation is already under way at the Department of Investigation and Penal Action in Funchal.
The CCIM has also filed a civil lawsuit demanding that the officials remove online content referring to the organization and refrain from similar statements in the future. The case includes a request for a financial penalty of 5,000 euros for each violation if such statements continue.
Statements Accused of Creating Hostility and Social Risk
The complaint argues that the statements contribute to a hostile environment and increases risks for the Muslim community. It describes a pattern of language that associates Islam with crime and social danger.
According to the filing, such rhetoric may lead to intimidation, exclusion, or even violence by framing Muslims as a threat within society.
Francisco Gomes did not respond to our interview request, while Miguel Castro downplays the statements. "They were not accusatory allegations; they were merely allegations of suspicion regarding what is intrinsically linked to Islam."
André Ventura Questions Role of Religious Freedom Commission
Asked about the case earlier this week, Chega leader André Ventura said that determining criminal responsibility should be left to prosecutors or the police, not advisory bodies.
Sources:
DN.pt
Diário de Notícias Madeira
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