save Alexandra
"A child who was born in Northern Portugal to a Russian woman six years ago and who has been raised by a Portuguese family from the age of 18 months was last week ordered by Portuguese courts to be returned to her biological mother, who within days took the young girl to Russia to live with a family she had never met.
The past week, the case of six-year-old Alexandra Skilauri made headlines in most national newspapers and news programmes. Images of the girl screaming while been taken from her 'adoptive' family and handed over to her biological mother caused uproar due to the powerlessness of the Portuguese legal system.
At the biological mother's request Florinda Vieira and João Pinheiro, from Barcelos, had taken care of Alexandra since 18 months of age.
The couple allege her mother, Natália Zarubina, let her daughter sleep in a phonebox while she worked as a prostitute around the area of Braga market. They also said the child, who does not speak Russian, weighed just five kilos when they met her.
At Natalia's request the couple took the toddler into their care and raised her for four and a half years, letting the mother visit whenever she wanted.
However, after legal procedures were instigated in 2008, last week the Guimarães Family Court ordered Alexandra to be returned to the permanent care of her biological mother.
The foster family argues Natalia does not have the conditions to properly care for her daughter, making referral to the woman's past, which reportedly involves prostitution and drugs.
Nevertheless the Portuguese court decided in favour of the mother, stating Alexandra was "never at risk or put in danger".
Upon arriving at the Social Security institute in Braga, where the handover took place on May 18th, Alexandra refused to leave the car, gripping onto her seatbelt and crying "I don't want to go".
Two days after she was returned to her mother Alexandra was taken to Russia to live with a family that she has never met. The Pinheiro family is helpless to take any form of action as the Portuguese judiciary can no longer intervene.
Early this week further anger was caused when images of Alexandra being smacked by her mother during her first days of her new life were broadcast on TV in Portugal and Russia. According to reports she was being smacked for "being spoiled" and "not speaking Russian".
Angrily telling the cameras that her Portuguese carers had "let her do anything", Natalia Zarubina repeatedly smacked the six-year-old who had been in her care for a matter of days.
Businessman João Pinheiro said he was "not surprised" by Natalia's reaction to the child's resistance to adapt, and said "it proves she is at risk with her mother, regardless of what the Court says, and she could yet be sold".
On the day of mother and daughter's departure to Russia, the Russian Embassy in Portugal issued a statement reaffirming Natalia Zarubina's ability to care for her daughter and accusing the couple from Barcelos of 'tricking' her, as she does not speak Portuguese.
According to an expert in Portuguese family law, the competency of one court to change a ruling made by another must be made by the court in the child's country of residence. Therefore in this case only a Russian court could overrule the decision made by the Portuguese court, which renders the Pinheiro family and Portuguese judiciary powerless.
Following the dramatic development of events the Portuguese couple were invited to make an appearance on a Russian prime-time chat show.
Journalist José Milhazes, Moscow correspondent for Portuguese channel SIC, described the programme as "very tabliody" and said he would advise the couple to "think carefully" about accepting the offer as they would be interviewed in front of a live audience that would "be on the mother's side".
However, on Wednesday the Russian embassy in Lisbon denied the couple visas to travel to Russia to be on the program."
Source: sott.net
Petition to let Alexandra come back to Portugal.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/28077.html
I've signed.
The past week, the case of six-year-old Alexandra Skilauri made headlines in most national newspapers and news programmes. Images of the girl screaming while been taken from her 'adoptive' family and handed over to her biological mother caused uproar due to the powerlessness of the Portuguese legal system.
At the biological mother's request Florinda Vieira and João Pinheiro, from Barcelos, had taken care of Alexandra since 18 months of age.
The couple allege her mother, Natália Zarubina, let her daughter sleep in a phonebox while she worked as a prostitute around the area of Braga market. They also said the child, who does not speak Russian, weighed just five kilos when they met her.
At Natalia's request the couple took the toddler into their care and raised her for four and a half years, letting the mother visit whenever she wanted.
However, after legal procedures were instigated in 2008, last week the Guimarães Family Court ordered Alexandra to be returned to the permanent care of her biological mother.
The foster family argues Natalia does not have the conditions to properly care for her daughter, making referral to the woman's past, which reportedly involves prostitution and drugs.
Nevertheless the Portuguese court decided in favour of the mother, stating Alexandra was "never at risk or put in danger".
Upon arriving at the Social Security institute in Braga, where the handover took place on May 18th, Alexandra refused to leave the car, gripping onto her seatbelt and crying "I don't want to go".
Two days after she was returned to her mother Alexandra was taken to Russia to live with a family that she has never met. The Pinheiro family is helpless to take any form of action as the Portuguese judiciary can no longer intervene.
Early this week further anger was caused when images of Alexandra being smacked by her mother during her first days of her new life were broadcast on TV in Portugal and Russia. According to reports she was being smacked for "being spoiled" and "not speaking Russian".
Angrily telling the cameras that her Portuguese carers had "let her do anything", Natalia Zarubina repeatedly smacked the six-year-old who had been in her care for a matter of days.
Businessman João Pinheiro said he was "not surprised" by Natalia's reaction to the child's resistance to adapt, and said "it proves she is at risk with her mother, regardless of what the Court says, and she could yet be sold".
On the day of mother and daughter's departure to Russia, the Russian Embassy in Portugal issued a statement reaffirming Natalia Zarubina's ability to care for her daughter and accusing the couple from Barcelos of 'tricking' her, as she does not speak Portuguese.
According to an expert in Portuguese family law, the competency of one court to change a ruling made by another must be made by the court in the child's country of residence. Therefore in this case only a Russian court could overrule the decision made by the Portuguese court, which renders the Pinheiro family and Portuguese judiciary powerless.
Following the dramatic development of events the Portuguese couple were invited to make an appearance on a Russian prime-time chat show.
Journalist José Milhazes, Moscow correspondent for Portuguese channel SIC, described the programme as "very tabliody" and said he would advise the couple to "think carefully" about accepting the offer as they would be interviewed in front of a live audience that would "be on the mother's side".
However, on Wednesday the Russian embassy in Lisbon denied the couple visas to travel to Russia to be on the program."
Source: sott.net
Petition to let Alexandra come back to Portugal.
http://www.gopetition.com/online/28077.html
I've signed.