Former French President released from prison ahead of appeal

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from prison 20 days into a five-year sentence.

Earlier this year, a Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of conspiring in an illegal campaign funding scheme with Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Now, he has been conditionally released until an appeal of his conviction is heard next year.

Sarkozy, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, said his “energy is solely on the single goal of proving my innocence.”

Who is Sarkozy?

Sarkozy was President for five years, taking office after the 2007 presidential election as the leader of the centre-right party Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).

He retired from politics in 2017 and has since been convicted of two other corruption charges.

Earlier this year, French authorities revoked his Legion of Honour, the country’s highest award.

Allegations

Prosecutors accused Sarkozy of orchestrating an illegal arrangement with Gaddafi to receive millions of euros in funding for his presidential campaign.

It was alleged that Libyan operatives, including a convicted terrorist, transported the money to Paris in suitcases.

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Paramilitary forces killed Gaddafi in 2011. In 2014, France24 published a report claiming Gaddafi had previously confirmed the conspiracy, saying: “It’s thanks to me that [Sarkozy] became president… We gave him the funds that allowed him to win.”

The court ruled there was not enough evidence to prove Sarkozy personally executed the deal, nor to suggest the money ever reached his campaign.

However, it found sufficient evidence that Sarkozy had conspired to engage in “corruption at the highest possible level,” allowing his close political aides to liaise with Libyan officials between 2005 and 2007.

Sarkozy was prosecuted alongside 11 other defendants accused of involvement in the scheme, including former officials from his administration.

Sentence

Following his trial, Sarkozy was sentenced in relation to the criminal conspiracy charge.

He was taken to prison in late October and was held separately to other prisoners.

This week, a court agreed to Sarkozy’s conditional release, ordering him to stay in the country and avoid contacting any witnesses or employees of the Ministry of Justice.

Several lawyers have complained that Sarkozy received a prison visit from Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, a former colleague and friend.

In a post to social media, Sarkozy remained confident that “the end of the story remains to be written” and that “the truth will prevail“.