Rui Pinto faces protection deadline after reported 83-day notification delay

The Guardian reported Wednesday that Rui Pinto was notified 83 days after Portugal decided to end his witness protection. The Football Leaks founder faces an October 10 deadline for the programme's termination, while his lawyers challenge the decision and Portugal's justice minister examines requests concerning his continued protection.

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The notification reached Pinto on September 30, according to reporting by Expresso reproduced by Artigos e Notícias, leaving ten days before he was due to lose his protected accommodation. Expresso also reported his lawyer's assertion that Pinto had not been heard before the decision. That account places the notification well after the commission's deliberations.

RTP, carrying Lusa reporting, said the commission's published order cited an alleged failure to meet programme commitments and a police reassessment that classified the risk as low. Pinto's lawyers disputed the withdrawal and announced an administrative appeal. They asked the Justice Ministry to reconsider, disclose the material supporting the risk assessment, hear Pinto and maintain his protection.

Justice Minister Rita Alarcão Júdice said on October 3 that her office was carefully examining the requests and would respond before October 10, RTP reported. Speaking to journalists in Aveiro, she said any irregularity or procedural problem would be considered. Her remarks announced a review; they did not announce that the withdrawal had been reversed.

Pinto entered the protection programme in August 2020 after leaving pretrial detention and agreeing to cooperate with investigators, according to Euronews. His arrangements included accommodation at a confidential location under police protection, identity documents, transport and financial support. His legal team warned that ending those measures would leave him vulnerable and said it would appeal.

The dispute concerns the founder of a project that brought confidential football documents into public view. Euronews reported that files reached Der Spiegel and the European Investigative Collaborations network in 2016, with disclosures involving clubs including Benfica, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain. Pinto later supplied files directly to authorities. His cooperation forms part of the background to a protection arrangement now facing termination.