Top Brazil Court Rules to Keep Ex-President Lula da Silva in Jail

Brazil's Supreme Court denied early release to former President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva who is serving a 12-year jail term on corruption charges.

Justice Alexandre de Moraes was quoted as saying by the 24 Horas news website there was no justification for Lula’s defense claims.

The ex-president was sentenced to 9.5 years in prison last summer for allegedly accepting a luxury apartment from a construction firm in return for political favors, an accusation he denies.

An appeals court upheld the ruling in January and increased Lula da Silva's jail term to 12 years and a month. He went to orison three months later in the city of Curitiba.