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Sarkozy Begins Prison Term in Paris as Lawyers Seek Quick Release

An immediate‑enforcement order required the 70‑year‑old to report to La Santé despite a pending appeal.

Overview

  • Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy arrived at La Santé prison on Tuesday morning to start the five‑year sentence imposed in September in the Libya financing case.
  • The Paris court attached immediate enforcement to the verdict, meaning the sentence is carried out even as the appeal moves forward.
  • His legal team filed for conditional release available to inmates aged 70 and over, with a decision expected within about two months; a lawyer said roughly a month is typical.
  • Sarkozy is held in a protected, likely isolated unit in a single cell of about 9–11 square meters with standard fittings such as a shower, toilet, and television, and no special privileges.
  • The Élysée confirmed Emmanuel Macron met Sarkozy days before incarceration, the justice minister signaled a prison visit, and Sarkozy maintains his innocence in public statements.