Lula's defense denies having requested house arrest.
In a statement, lawyer Cristiano Zanin Martins denied having submitted "to the Supreme Court or any other court a request for house arrest" for the former president, as reported in the press and reproduced on 247; according to him, "former president Lula is requesting in appeals to the Superior Courts the restoration of his full freedom because he has never committed any illegal act."
247 - Former President Lula's defense team released a statement at 23:23 PM this Thursday, the 21st, denying having submitted "to the Supreme Court or any other court a request for house arrest" for the former president. The news was reported by major traditional media outlets and reproduced on 247.
According to lawyer Cristiano Zanin Martins, who signed the statement, "former President Lula is requesting in appeals to the Superior Courts the restoration of his full freedom because he never committed any illegal act." He emphasizes that "the conviction imposed on the former president by Judge Sérgio Moro and the TRF4 violates the Federal Constitution and the law" and that "Lula's defense did not present a request for house arrest to the STF or any other Court."
"Lula's defense will ask the Vice-Presidency of the TRF4 tomorrow (June 22nd) not to take any action that could constitute preferential treatment or that could prejudice the judgment that the STF will make next Tuesday (June 26th)," the defense text concludes.
Report from Folha de S.Paulo The news report states that the defense "asked the ministers of the STF (Supreme Federal Court) to replace his imprisonment in a closed regime with house arrest, or other precautionary measures, should they not grant him freedom until the court judges his appeal."
"The request is contained in the memorials delivered to the Supreme Court ministers this Thursday (21). Lawyer Sepúlveda Pertence was at the court in the afternoon and spoke personally with some of the magistrates," the article reports.
In the appeal to be judged on Tuesday, the defense requests the suspension of the ruling by the Federal Regional Court of the 4th Region (TRF-4), in Porto Alegre, until the extraordinary appeal challenging the conviction is judged. The appeal was filed earlier this month.
According to legal expert Walter Maierowitch, house arrest for Lula cannot be ruled out. “Since Lula's imprisonment is being expedited, as it is not final and has not yet been judged, and because the constitutional principle of presumption of innocence cannot be ignored, the Second Panel could grant Lula house arrest while his appeals are pending in the higher and supreme courts. In this case, the constitutional principle of caution would prevail, given the irreparable personal or moral damage that could result from Lula's final acquittal,” he stated.read more).