Sarkozy Enters Paris Prison to Begin Five-Year Term in Libya Funding Case

Overview

• Nicolas Sarkozy presented himself at La Santé prison in Paris to start serving a five-year sentence following his September conviction for criminal conspiracy linked to the 2007 campaign.
• He is held in isolation with a single cell, solitary exercise periods and activity access, and the option of a television for a fee and a fixed phone, according to prison authorities.
• His lawyers have filed an age-based request for conditional release, with judges allowed up to two months to rule while his appeal remains active.
• The court found he conspired with close aides to seek funds from Muammar Gaddafi’s Libya, while not establishing that he personally received or used the money.
• Sarkozy declared himself innocent and labeled the case a judicial scandal as supporters gathered outside his home, and President Emmanuel Macron recently received him at the Élysée while reiterating judicial independence.