Brazilian ex-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who was sentenced to a long prison sentence, could be released temporarily.
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that convicted criminals at first and second instance may remain at liberty pending the exhaustion of all possible appeals. Thus, the judges cleared the way for the release of thousands of convicts - including Lula.
Because of corruption, the former head of state is currently serving an eight-year prison sentence. He is said to have accepted the renovation of a luxury apartment from a construction company.
Lula denies the allegations and speaks of a political conspiracy against him. As the disclosure platform "The Intercept" reported in June, there should have been illegal collusion between judges and prosecutors in the Lula corruption case. The aim was therefore to condemn Lula as soon as possible so that the still popular ex-president could not participate in the 2018 presidential election.
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Brazil: Political community of fateThe far-right election winner Jair Bolsonaro made the judge Sérgio Moro, who sent Lula to prison and was involved in the alleged judicial scandal, after taking over the duties of Minister of Justice.
