The wave of public support for former PJ investigator Gonçalo Amaral has hit a new record this week, with over €50,000 now amassed to help him fight his appeal over the €500,000-plus damages awarded against him in the long-running civil action taken out by the parents of Madeleine McCann.
But as supporters shared the news, calling it a victory for “people who put their heads above the parapet”, an internet campaign trying to prove “there is no appeal” and that Amaral is simply raising money under false pretences is trying to gather steam.
In a bid to establish the true picture, the Resident has been in touch with the offices of Isabel Duarte and Ricardo Correia, the lawyers acting for the McCanns.
Dr Correia told us: “You are right. Gonçalo Amaral made an appeal on 15th June, and we replied on 13th July”.
As to the length of time this appeal is likely to take, he was unsure.
“It is an appeal that goes up in the ranking of the courts”, he told us, adding it would take “at least a month”.
And as to why no lay person has been able to access these details via Portugal’s judicial website, CITIUS, he explained:
“You aren’t able to get details unless you have a password and a log-in”.
As a lawyer, you “don’t see any lawyer’s cases, just your own”, he added, which explains why anyone trying to research this case and where it stands will only ever find screenshots.
With the August judicial holiday almost upon us, the chances of Amaral’s appeal being heard before October look slim - but in the meantime, the online appeal to help him pay legal costs is ongoing.
Intriguingly, this appeal that has joined over 2,000 people - many of them giving small amounts every week - has been virtually ignored by mainstream media.
No one is sure why it is being ignored, but certainly the truth is that anyone who publicises it will then find themselves vilified online.
As a legal expert agreed, “it is a curious mark of this case that anyone who does not comply with the accepted storyline will find him or herself being insulted, harassed and generally abused. I can see a story there, actually”.
It is indeed a story. And as the expert warned: “You do realise that the minute you stop this rumour, they will find another one to bug you with, don’t you?”
Article courtesy of the Portugal Resident http://portugalresident.com/
Comments
British charity appeals can pull in tens of millions of pounds when it matters - so it is not stingyness ! The very few Portuguese 'appeals' generate a few euros at a time through "small amounts every week".
There are over 100,000 Portuguese in the UK. Has anyone over here thought for a millisecond maybe some of them have been donating? And over the years they are the same idiots who have also "insulted, harassed and generally abused" the McCann parents?
As the Troika and EU reports repeatedly remind us - the Portuguese are not well educated ! The Greeks far more so. This constant dribble just emphasises it!
All this will surface again when Portugal seeks its 2nd bailout and rightfully gets a firm NO! That it has not developed sufficiently to deserve it.