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LISBON, Portugal – A Portuguese judge has released former Portuguese Prime Minister Jose Socrates from jail where he spent over nine months on suspicion of corruption, money-laundering and tax fraud.
Socrates’ lawyers said Saturday that the decision to release him now to house detention was an indication the public prosecutor “has no facts, no evidence and cannot make a formal accusation.”
Socrates, who was Portugal’s center-left Socialist premier from 2005 to 2011, had in June refused an offer of house detention on condition he wore an ankle bracelet monitoring device, calling it an attempt to divert attention from what he called the “huge and cruel injustice” of being imprisoned without charge.
Socrates’ release now does not require him to wear a device.
Portugal is due to hold a general election on Oct. 4.