As the censorship “war” between national tabloid Correio da Manhã and former Portuguese prime minister José Sócrates becomes increasingly ugly, Sócrates’ eccentric lawyer João Araújo is reported to have no less than eight separate cases cited against him – seven of them concerning his unorthodox outbursts and behaviour.
At the same time, new ‘casualties’ are coming into the picture.
CM reports that Diário de Notícias has been ‘banned’ from carrying a full-page of advertising, to be paid for by CM, against the censorship.
According to the tabloid, the deal was vetoed by the administrative president of the media group in charge of DN – none other than a former defence lawyer of Sócrates, Daniel Proença de Carvalho.
But the paper only mentions this in passing, concentrating more on the cases pending against Araújo.
There are four ‘complaints’, CM explains, and four disciplinary cases. The majority of the cases have been lodged by lawyers who “believe the defence attorney of José Sócrates has put the dignity of his profession in question, violating duties of civility and correctness”.
One of the cases is certain to centre on the extraordinary comments made to CM journalist Tania Laranjo, whom Araújo told in no uncertain terms in March to “take another bath”.
He did not hold back as to why, either.
The other cases are said to involve “other lawyers” who have also felt themselves lambasted in one way or other.
“Only one of the cases against the former prime minister’s defender is not connected with his performance connected to Operation Marquês,” claims CM.
The paper has always demonised Araújo who elsewhere has been described as under a veritable death sentence from prostate cancer but determined to clear his VIP client’s name before he dies.
According to magazine Nova Gente, Araújo is “a courageous man” – and very possibly one who is unphased by eight legal cases stacked up against him for “violating” duties of civility.
