Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has appealed for early release after starting a five-year prison term.
He described his jail experience as gruelling, while prosecutors supported supervised release pending court approval.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has pleaded for an early release from prison, describing his time behind bars as extremely difficult. His appeal was heard by a Paris court on Monday, less than three weeks after he began serving a five-year jail sentence for conspiring to raise campaign funds from late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
French prosecutors also supported his request but insisted that any release should come with strict judicial supervision. The 70-year-old former president was convicted on September 25 for criminal conspiracy related to the alleged financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. Although acquitted of other charges, including corruption and illegal campaign funding, the court ruled that his imprisonment must begin immediately due to what it called the “extraordinary seriousness” of the offence.
Judge Nathalie Gavarino’s ruling made Sarkozy the first former French head of state in modern history to be sent to prison. He began serving his sentence on October 21 at La Santé prison in Paris but quickly filed an appeal seeking early release.
Prosecutor Damien Brunet told the court that “the risks of collusion and pressure on witnesses justify the request for release under judicial supervision.” He added that the prosecution was not opposed to Sarkozy’s release provided he remained under close monitoring. The judges are expected to decide whether the former leader poses a flight risk or could influence witnesses while the appeal process continues.
Appearing before the court via video link, Sarkozy said the experience of imprisonment had been deeply distressing. “It’s hard, very hard, certainly for any prisoner. I would even say it’s grueling,” he told the court. However, he expressed gratitude to the prison staff, saying their professionalism had made “this nightmare bearable.”
If the court approves his request, Sarkozy could be released within hours but may be required to wear an electronic monitoring tag, pay a financial guarantee, or report regularly to authorities. The decision is expected later today.
Sarkozy, who governed France from 2007 to 2012, continues to deny any wrongdoing and insists that the charges are politically motivated, describing them as part of a “plot” linked to the late Libyan dictator. He also faces an ongoing investigation into alleged witness tampering related to the same Libya case. In addition, France’s highest court is expected to deliver a final ruling soon on a separate conviction over illegal financing of his unsuccessful 2012 re-election campaign.
