Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was released from prison on Sunday after a parole board reduced his corruption sentence by a third.
live broadcasts showed Olmert, who served as the country’s Prime Minister between 2006 and 2009, leaving the Maasiyahu prison in central Israel early morning, Xinhua news agency reported.
A car took him directly to his home in Tel Aviv, accompanied by his security guard.
A spokesperson for Olmert said that under his parole terms, in the next few months the former leader will have to do volunteer work, report twice a week to a police station and will not be allowed to leave the country or give media interviews.
Olmert is expected to appeal for a pardon to President Reuven Rivlin, the spokesperson said, adding that a request if approved would cancel his parole terms.
Olmert served 16 months of his 27-month sentence. He was granted an early release on Thursday in a decision by Israel Prison Service’s parole board. He is the first Israeli Prime Minister to serve time in jail.