Overview
- The 70-year-old arrived Tuesday morning and was placed alone in the prison’s isolation unit for security, according to the prisons chief.
- His lawyers filed immediately for release pending appeal, and detention can continue only if it is the sole way to prevent flight, pressure or interference, reoffending, or to ensure his safety.
- He was sentenced on 25 September to five years with a deposit order and immediate enforcement, a contentious mechanism that keeps him in custody despite his appeal.
- Emmanuel Macron met him privately on 17 October, and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin says he will visit the prison, a plan criticized by magistrates’ groups over perceived pressure on the judiciary.
- Relatives led a support gathering as he left home, and he reaffirmed his innocence in a public message as authorities tightened security around the facility.