BOGOTA, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- The Superior Court of Bogota on Tuesday revoked the house arrest imposed on Aug. 1 on former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez, ordering his immediate release until the second instance of the conviction is decided.
Uribe, who led Colombia from 2002 to 2010, was sentenced to 12 years of house arrest at his residence after being found guilty of bribery in criminal proceedings and procedural fraud. He was the first former head of state in the country's history to be criminally convicted.
"Thanks to so many compatriots for their expressions of solidarity. I will dedicate every minute of my freedom to the freedom of Colombia," said the ex-president on the social media platform X.
The conviction stems from a case dating back to 2012, when Uribe accused Senator Ivan Cepeda of manipulating testimony from former paramilitaries. Colombia's Supreme Court of Justice dismissed the allegations and instead opened an investigation into Uribe in 2018.
The superior court has until Oct. 16 to deliver its final ruling on the case. ■
