Nicolas Sarkozy has stated his intention to “prove his innocence” after being released from prison while appealing his conviction for criminal conspiracy related to a scheme to secure election campaign funds from Libya.
The former French president, who had described his 20-day incarceration as “gruelling” and a “nightmare,” left La Santé prison in Paris on Monday with his wife, singer Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. In a social media post, the 70-year-old wrote: “The law has been applied. I will now prepare for an appeal. My energy is focused solely on proving my innocence. The truth will prevail.”
Sarkozy entered prison on October 21 after a Paris court sentenced him to five years for his involvement in a plan to obtain campaign financing from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi during his 2007 presidential bid. He maintains his innocence and has appealed the verdict, with a new trial scheduled for next spring. Last month, judges ruled that due to the “exceptional gravity” of his conviction, he must remain in prison during the appeals process.
However, a Paris appeal court granted Sarkozy’s request for release on Monday. As part of his release conditions, he is prohibited from contacting any justice ministry officials, including Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin. Darmanin, who once viewed Sarkozy as a mentor before rejoining Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party in 2017, visited the former president in prison last month—a move criticized by some French magistrates as undermining judicial independence. Sarkozy is also barred from communicating with others involved in the case and from leaving France.
During a video appearance from prison on Monday morning, Sarkozy, dressed in a navy blue suit and flanked by his lawyers, addressed the court: “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane and have made this nightmare bearable—because it is a nightmare.” He added, “I never had any idea or intention to ask Mr. Gaddafi for any kind of financing… I will never confess to something I didn’t do… I never imagined that at 70 years of age, I’d be in prison. It’s an ordeal that has been imposed on me. I confess it’s hard, it’s very hard. It leaves a mark on any prisoner because it’s gruelling.”
For his safety, Sarkozy was held in solitary confinement in a 9-square-meter cell with a private shower and toilet. Two bodyguards occupied an adjacent cell to ensure his security. According to the French news magazine Le Point, he reportedly ate only yogurts in prison out of fear that other food might have been tampered with. Although he had cooking facilities, he declined to use them, as per unnamed sources cited by the magazine.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, who visited him daily, argued that Sarkozy would be safer outside prison than inside, citing death threats, nighttime disturbances, and an incident where a neighboring prisoner self-harmed.
Carla Bruni-Sarkozy attended the release hearing on Monday morning, along with Sarkozy’s two eldest sons.
Sarkozy, who served as France’s right-wing president from 2007 to 2012, became the first former head of an EU country to serve prison time and the first French postwar leader to be incarcerated.
Bruno Retailleau, leader of Sarkozy’s right-wing party, Les Républicains, commented on social media that the release was expected and praised Sarkozy for facing the ordeal “with courage and determination.”Sign up with your email address.
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After the newsletter promotion, Sarkozy’s social media account shared a video last week showing stacks of letters, postcards, and packages sent to him, some containing collages, a chocolate bar, or a book. His account stated, “No letter will go unanswered,” and added, “The end of the story has not yet been written.”
In his three-month trial, the prosecutor accused Sarkozy of making a “Faustian pact of corruption with one of the most notorious dictators of the last 30 years” to secure election funds from Gaddafi. Sarkozy denied any misconduct and claimed he was not involved in a criminal conspiracy to obtain Libyan election financing.
He was cleared of three charges: corruption, misuse of Libyan public funds, and illegal campaign funding. However, after the state prosecutor appealed the acquittals, Sarkozy will face a retrial next year on all counts, including criminal conspiracy.
While the allegations of a secret funding deal with Libya marked his largest corruption trial, Sarkozy had already been found guilty in two other cases and lost France’s highest honor, the Légion d’honneur.
Previously, he became the first former French president required to wear an electronic tag after being convicted in a separate corruption and influence-peddling case involving illegal efforts to gain favors from a judge. In that instance, he received a one-year prison sentence but served it with an ankle monitor for three months before being released on conditional terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of FAQs about Nicolas Sarkozys release from prison and his intention to prove his innocence designed to be clear and natural
Basic Questions
1 Who is Nicolas Sarkozy
Nicolas Sarkozy is the former President of France serving from 2007 to 2012
2 What was he in prison for
He wasnt in prison as a final sentence He was placed in pretrial detention or under house arrest while awaiting appeals for previous convictions related to corruption and illegal campaign financing
3 Why was he released
He was released from pretrial detention likely under judicial supervision while his legal team prepares his appeal This is a standard part of the legal process not a declaration of innocence
4 What does he mean by prove his innocence
He is stating that he will fight the guilty verdicts against him through the appeals process in a higher court arguing that the initial rulings were wrong
Deeper Legal Contextual Questions
5 What was he originally found guilty of
He has been found guilty in two major cases so far
Corruption and influence peddling For attempting to secure a favor from a senior judge in exchange for information about another case
Illegal campaign financing For his 2012 reelection campaign spending far more than the legal limit
6 Hasnt he already been found guilty Why can he appeal
Yes he has been convicted in lower courts However the French legal system allows for appeals where a higher court reviews the case to check for legal errors or procedural mistakes A verdict is not final until all appeals are exhausted
7 What happens if he loses his appeal
If he loses his appeal the guilty verdicts and his sentences would become definitive and he would be expected to serve them
8 Is it common for former presidents to go to prison
In modern French history it is very rare Sarkozy is the first former French president to have received actual prison sentences marking an unprecedented moment for the country
9 What are the potential political consequences of this
It further damages public trust in the political establishment and creates significant media scrutiny For Sarkozy personally it likely ends any possibility of a formal return to politics though he
