Ex-French President Sarkozy to commence jail term over Gaddafi funds scandal
According to authorities, he will likely be held in solitary confinement to prevent contact with other prisoners, with his nine-square-metre cell including basic furniture like a bed, desk and toilet.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is set to be jailed on Tuesday, after being convicted of conspiring to secure campaign funds from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, making him the first ex-head of state from the European Union (EU) to actually serve a jail term.
The 70-year-old was found guilty by a Paris court in September of taking part in a plan to secretly finance his 2007 presidential campaign using money from Gaddafi's regime.
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According to authorities, the scheme, which dates back to 2005, involved Sarkozy and his associates receiving illegal funds in exchange for political favours that would help rehabilitate Libya's international image.
"If they want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison but with my head held high," Sarkozy said after the ruling, maintaining his innocence.
Reports indicate that Sarkozy is expected to serve his sentence at La Santé prison in Paris, a notorious facility that has housed several high-profile inmates, including the militant Carlos the Jackal, over the years.
According to authorities, he will likely be held in solitary confinement to prevent contact with other prisoners, with his nine-square-metre cell including basic furniture like a bed, desk and toilet. However, he will be allowed outside once a day for a brief walk in a secluded yard.
While issuing the ruling, presiding Judge Nathalie Gavarino described Sarkozy's actions as "of exceptional seriousness" and ordered him to begin his sentence immediately, even as his legal team prepares an appeal. Although the court said there was no proof Sarkozy directly handled Libyan cash, it found him responsible for enabling a conspiracy that violated French election laws.
His lawyers have said they will request his release as soon as he is admitted, arguing that he poses no threat to witnesses or ongoing investigations.
France's appeals court is expected to decide within two months, which could see the former president either remain in custody or be placed under house arrest with electronic monitoring.
Sarkozy's conviction adds to a growing list of legal problems that have followed him since leaving office. In 2021, he was found guilty of trying to bribe a judge for confidential information about another investigation, serving that term under home confinement until earlier this year.
Despite repeated scandals, Sarkozy remains an influential figure in French politics, with many of his supporters insisting that he is the victim of a political witch hunt.
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