Overview
- Nicolas Sarkozy received Gérald Darmanin on October 29 for roughly 45 minutes in the presence of the prison director, after which the minister spoke with staff about security arrangements.
- Sarkozy was sentenced on September 25 to five years in the Libyan‑financing case, was jailed on October 21 at La Santé, and has appealed and filed a request for release that judges will examine in the coming weeks.
- A collective of lawyers has lodged a complaint with the Court of Justice of the Republic accusing Darmanin of unlawful taking of interest, citing his visit and public expressions of sympathy.
- Senior judicial figures, including France’s top prosecutor Rémy Heitz in earlier comments, have warned that such engagement risks perceptions of pressure on the judiciary before the appeal.
- Separate case developments include the Paris appeals court placing co‑defendant Wahib Nacer under judicial control after ordering his release, while Sarkozy remains under exceptional close protection by two security officers due to reported threats.