Former French President Sarkozy begins serving a five-year prison term
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived at a Paris prison to begin serving a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy to finance the 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya. This was reported by Associated Press.
He is the first former leader of modern France to be imprisoned. On the way to prison, Sarkozy said: "An innocent man is being imprisoned.".
On Tuesday, he walked down the alley of his home, holding hands with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, before heading to prison. They walked slowly in front of a crowd of reporters to their children and grandchildren outside the house. He waved to a crowd of supporters before getting into his car.
He denies both the guilty verdict and the judge's unusual decision to remand him in custody pending appeal.
Hundreds of supporters gathered in the upscale Parisian neighborhood where Sarkozy lives, applauding, chanting "Nicolas, Nicolas" and singing the French national anthem. Two French flags with the words "Courage, Nicolas" are hung on the nearest fence: "Courage, Nicolas, come back soon" and "True France with Nicolas".
Sarkozy's lawyers say the former president will be held in a separate cell where he will be isolated from other prisoners for security reasons.
His defense lawyer, Christophe Ingren, told BFM TV that his imprisonment "strengthens his resolve and increases his rage, his desire to prove his innocence." He added that Sarkozy plans to write a book about his prison experience .
Jean-Michel Darrois, another of Sarkozy's lawyers, said Tuesday that the former president has "mentally prepared" for being held in a separate cell where he will be isolated from other prisoners for security reasons.
"First, he packed a bag with a few sweaters because it's cold in prison, and earplugs because it's very noisy. The isolation he will have to endure is painful, but he is prepared," he said.
Paris judge rules that Sarkozy will begin serving his prison sentence without waiting for an appeal to be heard due to "the seriousness of the disruption to public order caused by the crime".
According to the court's ruling, Sarkozy, 70, will be able to file a petition for release with the appeals court only after he is behind bars, and judges will have up to two months to consider it.
Sarkozy's lawyers say he will file a motion for release as soon as possible.
Nicolas Sarkozy is a French politician, President of France in 2007-2012. He led the Union for a Popular Movement party and implemented reforms aimed at modernizing the economy and strengthening security. In foreign policy, Sarkozy actively maintained close ties with the European Union and the United States. After the end of his term, he retired from political activity, but repeatedly found himself at the center of judicial investigations into corruption.
- On September 25, a Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy for receiving illegal funding for the 2007 election campaign. According to prosecutors, in 2005, Sarkozy made a deal with Gaddafi to receive money in exchange for supporting the Libyan government in the international arena.
- On October 14, it was reported that Sarkozy would begin serving his five-year sentence on October 21.
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