Rio de Janeiro: Brazil's former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has been released from prison in Curitiba, southern Brazil.
According to the media report, the ruling comes after the Supreme Court order to end the mandatory imprisonment of convicts after they lose their first appeal.
The former President was serving his sentence in the Federal Police headquarters in Curitiba. As he left the building on Friday, he was received by a crowd of supporters and fellow politicians from the Workers' Party (PT), media reported.
Federal police have to comply with Friday's order 'with urgency', the order said.
Ex-president Lula released Read more:Brazil's ex-president could be freed after top court ruling
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, better known as 'Lula' was jailed in 2018 for eight years and 10 months in corruption cases. he was found guilty of taking bribes from engineering firms in exchange for government contracts.
Lula's release followed a ruling of Brazil's Supreme Federal Court (STF), made on Thursday evening, which determined that defendants in Brazil will only be arrested after the last appeal of their processes.
In Brazil, a case can be appealed three times to the local court, the Superior Court of Justice (STJ) and the STF.
Lula, Brazil's first working-class president, served as the country's leader between 2003 and 2010. He left the office with sky-high popularity ratings thanks to social policies that raised millions from poverty. He was favoured to win the 2018 presidential election, but his imprisonment barred him from running.
Read more:Former Brazil Prez Lula sentenced to 13 years imprisonment
