Hickey Irish Passport Returned

(ATR) Patrick Hickey is free to travel out of Brazil as he awaits trial in Rio de Janeiro.

A state judge in Rio set bail for Hickey's release, citing medical reasons. Hickey will be forced to pay bail of $439,000 as part of the condition of his release. Judge Juliana Leal de Melo accepted the position of a state prosecutor, which encouraged the release of Hickey's passport.

A condition of Hickey's release is he must cooperate with the investigation against him, and prosecutors have 30 days to complete an investigation into Hickey's seized electronic equipment. The investigation will be able to look into all areas of his equipment, as confidentiality rules no longer apply.

The decision was expected, given prosecutor Marcos Kac’s statements to international media that he did not believe international citizens should be held in Brazil while awaiting trial.

"Thus, certified the payment of the bail, hereby fixed, as well as rendered the commitment of cooperation with the justice by the defendant, I authorize the release of the passport of the same, as well as that the defendant leaves the country to treat his health," a statement from the judge said.

Hickey’s lawyer, Allan Caetano, submitted a request for the return of his client’s passport on Oct. 14. Hickey had been held in Brazil since being arrested during the 2016 Olympic Games. He faces charges of ticket touting, forming a cartel, and illegally marketing the Rio 2016 Olympics.

While waiting for trial, Hickey had been staying in an apartment in Rio’s South Zone. The apartment was rented by the Olympic Council of Ireland.

European Olympic officials say that Hickey’s health has been failing in Brazil, and have called for his return to treatment in Ireland.

The IOC told ATR in a statement that it believed "it would be preferable that the needed treatment is administered in Ireland."

The stance was echoed by Janez Kocijancic, acting president of the European Olympic Committees, who told ATR that Hickey's "human rights," need to be protected throughout the process.After his arrest, Hickey was hospitalized with a cardiac issue, which left him in a Rio de Janeiro hospital overnight.

Still, no date has been scheduled for Hickey’s trial. As part of his release from Bangu Prison, Hickey had been required to check in with a special court created during the Olympics on Ilha do Governador on the 20th of every month while surrendering his passport.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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