Lawyers for former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday requested permission for him to serve his 27-year prison sentence under house arrest, stating that he is too ill to be in prison, LETA reported, citing AFP.
In September, Brazil's Supreme Court found 70-year-old Bolsonaro guilty of plotting a coup and sentenced him to 27 years in prison.
The appeal against the sentence was rejected last week, bringing Bolsonaro closer to the start of his sentence. His lawyers stated that they intend to file further appeals.
"Bolsonaro's incarceration will have serious consequences and poses a threat to his life," the lawyers' petition submitted to the Supreme Court states.
It is noted that Bolsonaro's health has "significantly deteriorated."
Since being placed under house arrest in August, Bolsonaro has been hospitalized three times: twice for medical examinations and once due to a medical emergency.
The former president requires ongoing treatment for a lung infection, esophagitis, and gastritis, and he is also suffering from skin cancer.
In September, Bolsonaro's treating physician reported that the affected areas of skin had been removed and that no further treatment was required at this stage.
The lawyers also pointed to ongoing complications related to a stab wound to the abdomen sustained during the 2018 election campaign.
The petition also emphasizes that another former president, Fernando Collor de Mello, was allowed to serve his nearly nine-year sentence for corruption under house arrest for health reasons in May.
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