Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Released From Prison Under Judicial Supervision
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from a Paris prison on Monday after an appeals court granted him judicial supervision, less than three weeks into his five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy tied…
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from a Paris prison on Monday after an appeals court granted him judicial supervision, less than three weeks into his five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy tied to alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 campaign.
According to The Associated Press, Sarkozy, 70, was seen returning to his home in western Paris shortly after leaving La Santé prison. Under the court’s ruling, he is prohibited from leaving France and from contacting co-defendants and witnesses in the case.
Speaking via video conference from prison, Sarkozy told the court, “I had never imagined I would experience prison at 70. This ordeal was imposed on me, and I lived through it. It’s hard, very hard.” He also thanked prison staff for helping him through “this nightmare.”
His wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, and two of his sons attended the hearing.
Sarkozy maintains his innocence, telling the court, “I will never admit something I didn’t do,” and denying ever asking Libya’s former ruler Moammar Gadhafi for campaign financing.
French law allows for release pending appeal unless a defendant poses a flight risk, endangers evidence, or risks influencing witnesses. Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, said the ruling represented “normal implementation of law,” adding, “The next step is the appeal trial and our work now … is to get prepared for that.”