Nicolas Sarkozy, the former president of France who led the nation from 2007 to 2012, is scheduled to enter Paris’s La Santé prison on October 21 to serve a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy related to illegal campaign financing from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
This marks a historic moment, as Sarkozy becomes the first head of state in France’s history, and the first former leader of an EU member state, to face incarceration, writes The Guardian. The presiding judge described the offence as one of ”exceptional gravity,” justifying immediate imprisonment despite an anticipated appeal.
The 70-year-old Sarkozy was convicted last month by a Paris court for orchestrating a scheme to secure approximately €50 million ($54.3 million) in secret funds from Gaddafi’s regime to bolster his 2007 presidential campaign.
In exchange, prosecutors alleged, Sarkozy promised to help rehabilitate Libya’s international image.
Sarkozy has vehemently denied the charges, labelling the verdict an ”injustice” and insisting on his innocence. His legal team has already filed an appeal and plans to seek a conversion of the sentence to house arrest once he is behind bars.
Due to concerns for his safety, stemming from his high profile and past role as interior minister overseeing law enforcement, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in solitary confinement within La Santé’s isolated wing.
Prison sources indicate he will occupy a modest nine-square-meter (95-square-foot) cell, with limited daily outings, such as a brief walk in a small yard.
This arrangement contrasts sharply with the so-called ”VIP wing” at the facility, which offers amenities like a cooking hob, fridge, television, and phone for select inmates, though it’s unclear if Sarkozy will have access to these.
The prison, located in central Paris, has a history of housing notable figures and is equipped with a special block for vulnerable prisoners to minimise risks.
In his final days of freedom, Sarkozy has been reflective, telling French media he has packed family photos and three books for his initial week: Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo and two volumes of a biography of Jesus by Jean-Christian Petitfils.
He revealed plans to use his time in prison to write a book and has received supportive calls from politicians across the spectrum, including current President Emmanuel Macron.
Sarkozy’s son, Louis, who is eyeing a mayoral run in Menton next spring, has called on supporters to gather near the family’s upscale Villa Montmorency residence in Paris’s 16th arrondissement to cheer him as he departs for prison.
The case traces back to 2011 claims by Gaddafi’s son, Saif al-Islam, that his father had funnelled funds to Sarkozy, a probe that officially launched in 2013.
Sarkozy’s involvement in the 2011 NATO intervention in Libya, which contributed to Gaddafi’s overthrow and death, adds a layer of irony to the scandal.
This is not Sarkozy’s first brush with the law; he has prior convictions for corruption, influence-peddling, and illegal campaign financing in separate cases, both resulting in house arrest with electronic monitoring.
As Sarkozy prepares to trade his luxurious life with wife Carla Bruni for a stark cell, the event underscores ongoing scrutiny of political financing in France and the accountability of former leaders.
While his appeal process unfolds, the former president’s imprisonment could last months or longer, depending on judicial reviews.
Sources
- The Guardian: Nicolas Sarkozy to enter prison for criminal conspiracy over Libyan funding
- The Telegraph: Sarkozy to be held in solitary confinement
- Russia Today (RT): Sarkozy to be put in solitary confinement
- CNN: Here’s what awaits ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy behind bars
