The Funchal court ordered the release of three citizens who had been in compulsory confinement, after refusing to take the PCR test on arrival in Madeira.
As far as Jornal Madeira understands, the three citizens arrived in the Region last week, when the state of calamity was still in effect, and brought an antigen test with them. Upon arrival at the airport, they were asked to take a PCR test. The individuals had a negative rapid test, but the Madeira Airport health entity insisted that they take the PCR test. But the three refused on the grounds that they already had a test.
The health authorities then decided that without the PCR they would have to stay in mandatory confinement in a hotel, which ended up happening. Confined against their will, the three went to court and each filed on Friday a request for ‘habeas corpus’, which was considered yesterday morning by the court in Funchal, after hearing the three citizens.
The judge understood that there was a reason to release them, which happened already at lunchtime this Saturday. The magistrate will have reasoned that the state of emergency is no longer in force in the country, and that the Regional Government will not have the competence to determine such compulsory measure.
This would have been the first situation to have a judicial outcome of this nature in Madeira, despite the fact that in the Azores the expedient has already allowed the release of some citizens.
It should be recalled that, in the new regulatory framework approved last Thursday by the Government Council, as of November 1, only an antigen test is required on arrival in Madeira, if you are not already vaccinated.