Rui Pinto’s lawyers are appealing against the decision to end the Football Leaks whistleblower’s witness protection in Portugal, days after the verdict in Manchester City’s Premier League case.
Pinto, 37, has been part of Portugal’s Special Security Programme since August 2020 but was informed this week that his protection is due to end on 10 October. His legal team have confirmed they will lodge an administrative appeal with “suspensive effect” against the decision.
Pinto lawyers challenge protection decision
Pinto’s lawyers had already asked Portugal’s Ministry of Justice to reconsider the decision, disclose the risk reassessment behind it and allow their client to be heard.
According to a statement reported by Portuguese news agency Lusa, they said no response had been received and warned that Pinto would lose his protected, confidential residence, with no guarantee that police protection would continue.
His lawyers also pointed to an assault on Pinto in Lisbon in April as evidence that concerns over his safety aren’t merely theoretical. They described the decision and the way it was made as an “act of state terrorism”.
Portuguese authorities have set out their reasoning for ending the programme. The Special Security Programmes Commission said the decision followed meetings in June and July and was based on what it described as Pinto’s lack of commitment to complying with the programme, alongside a PSP reassessment which concluded that his risk level was low.
Football Leaks connection to Man City case
Pinto founded Football Leaks, whose cache of confidential documents helped trigger investigations into Manchester City’s finances.
His lawyers specifically referenced this week’s independent commission verdict against City when arguing that legal proceedings arising from his disclosures remain active. City deny wrongdoing and have lodged an appeal against the commission’s findings.
As covered in our latest appeal update, the club argues that the ruling contains material errors of law, principle and fact.
Pinto has now said he intends to relocate to an undisclosed location for an indefinite period because of what he describes as multiple death threats and the risk of an attempt on his life.
His lawyers’ immediate challenge, however, is to the decision scheduled to take effect on 10 October.
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