Brazil's Ex-President Bolsonaro Begins Sentence At Police Station

RIO DE JANEIRO, Nov 26 (Bernama-dpa) -- After his conviction for an attempted coup, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro must serve his more than 27-year prison sentence at the Federal Police headquarters in Brasília, reported German news agency dpa. 

The former president - who was in office from 2019 to 2022 - will initially serve his sentence at the police station where he has been in custody since the weekend, federal judge Alexandre de Moraes ruled on Tuesday. 

The Supreme Court had earlier declared the verdict against the ex-military official legally binding.

The lawyers of the former head of state can no longer file any further legal appeals, Brazilian media reported. 

This clears the way for the enforcement of the prison sentence for the attempted coup. 

In September, Bolsonaro was sentenced by the Supreme Court to 27 years and three months in prison for an attempted coup following his electoral defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is now president.

Judge de Moraes spoke of a "concrete flight risk" and a "threat to public order." 

Due to violations of court-imposed conditions, the 70-year-old had already been under house arrest since August.

According to his lawyers, he is in poor health and suffers from lung infections, gastritis, skin cancer, persistent hiccups and complications following a knife attack on him during the 2018 election campaign.

According to a report by the state news agency Agencia Brasil, Bolsonaro has a cell of about 12 square metres at the police headquarters, which was recently renovated. 

The room reportedly has white walls, a single bed, cupboards, a side table, a television, a minibar, air conditioning, a window and its own bathroom.

--BERNAMA-dpa