Nicolas Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, is making history as the first former French head of state to enter prison. He is beginning a five-year jail term for his involvement in a scheme to finance his election campaign with illicit funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
This unprecedented situation has not been seen in France since the post-World War II era, when Philippe Pétain, a leader during the Vichy regime, was imprisoned for treason in 1945.
Sarkozy, 70, has appealed his conviction and sentence to La Santé prison, a notorious facility in Paris. He is expected to reside in a cell within the jail’s isolation wing, a measure taken for his safety, as other inmates are often convicted drug traffickers or individuals with terrorism-related offenses. His son, Louis, organized a show of support outside the prison, with another son, Pierre, requesting messages of love.
Despite his conviction, Sarkozy has consistently maintained his innocence, refuting the allegations of illegal campaign financing stemming from the controversial Libyan connection. He was acquitted of personally receiving the funds but found guilty of conspiring with close aides to arrange secret financing through a Franco-Lebanese intermediary.
The former president has expressed a desire for no special treatment within the prison. His cell, approximately 9 square meters, will be equipped with basic amenities: a toilet, shower, desk, and a small television. He will be allowed one hour of solitary exercise daily.
President Emmanuel Macron acknowledged the human aspect of the situation, stating it was “normal” for him to meet with a predecessor in such circumstances. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin also pledged to visit Sarkozy in prison, emphasizing his role in ensuring the former president’s safety and the proper functioning of the correctional facility.
Sarkozy has indicated that he plans to read “The Life of Jesus” and “The Count of Monte Cristo” during his time in confinement, the latter a tale of wrongful imprisonment and eventual vengeance.
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