According to The Guardian, Portuguese authorities have suspended the decision to terminate Rui Pinto's witness protection, meaning Pinto will temporarily remain under protection.

The Special Security Program Committee (CPES) acknowledged that Pinto should have been given the opportunity to present his case before the decision to terminate his protection was made. The whistleblower, who exposed irregularities involving Manchester City, can now challenge the decision to withdraw his protection, and the committee is expected to reconsider the matter.

A statement from the Portuguese Ministry of Justice indicated that the CPES acknowledged Pinto was not adequately informed about the specific grounds for terminating the protection program, nor was he given the opportunity to exercise his right to object to the decision.

The protection measures, which were scheduled to end this Saturday, have now been suspended. The committee will provide Pinto with relevant risk assessment reports, which show a low threat to his personal safety. The relevant meeting took place on July 9. On September 30—the same day Pinto learned his protected witness status was ending—a ruling by an independent commission confirmed that Manchester City had breached Premier League regulations, making global headlines.

Pinto has 10 working days to review the documents forming the basis of the decision and respond to the reasons and conclusions. The threat of losing protection had prompted Pinto to launch a fundraising campaign to secure his financial future. He has expressed concerns for his safety following an attack in Lisbon in April and after receiving credible death threats.

Pinto's protected witness status dates back to April 2020, when the Portuguese Judiciary Police began providing him protection after he agreed to disclose millions of confidential documents to investigators. These documents originated from football clubs, companies linked to Angolan businesswoman Isabel dos Santos, and other entities suspected of criminal activity. Dos Santos has denied corruption allegations.

The information disclosed by Pinto has prompted investigations by judicial, tax, and sports regulatory bodies across Europe, including the Premier League's investigation into Manchester City. Pinto's lawyers argue that authorities must consider his cooperation with judicial investigations and the risks posed by his disclosures before withdrawing his protection.

Increased external attention appears to have prompted Portuguese authorities to reconsider their original stance. Pinto remains willing to cooperate with UK authorities in investigations into Manchester City and other matters arising from his disclosures. He has also submitted millions of documents to French investigators, which can now be shared with other countries, including the UK.

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