Paris Appeals Court Grants Sarkozy Provisional Release Under Judicial Supervision

Overview

• Sarkozy left La Santé prison on Monday after roughly three weeks in custody, becoming the first modern French head of state to have been incarcerated.
• The court imposed strict conditions that include a ban on leaving France and a prohibition on contacting Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, as well as other restricted contacts.
• The Paris prosecutor supported release provided it came with judicial controls, and judges determined continued detention was unnecessary to prevent flight or interference.
• Sarkozy joined the hearing by videoconference, described his detention as very hard, and was held in isolation with police officers stationed in a neighboring cell for protection.
• His immediate jailing followed a September conviction tied to alleged Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign, a rare step that drew controversy, while he also faces a separate high-court ruling on his 2012 case later this month.