Paris
—
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was freed on Monday after a Paris court ruled he could be released pending an appeal of his September criminal conspiracy conviction, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.
He was convicted of participating in a scheme to finance the 2007 presidential campaign with money from Libya in exchange for diplomatic favors.
In a social media post after his release, Sarkozy thanked everyone who had “supported” and “defended” him and vowed that “the truth will prevail” in any future appeals.
“I will now prepare for the appeal. My energies are focused on the single goal of proving my innocence,” Sarkozy said.
Earlier on Monday, before his release, Sarkozy addressed the court via video link, saying his 20 days in prison had been “very difficult”.
He paid tribute to prison staff at Monday’s hearing, adding that they had “an extraordinary humanity to endure this nightmare.”
During his three weeks in prison, Sarkozy reportedly refused to eat anything except yogurt for fear that other prisoners would spit in his food, according to French magazine Le Point.
Prosecutors have asked that Sarkozy be released under judicial supervision and have restricted his contacts.
The court has ruled that the former head of state is prohibited from leaving France.
According to BFMTV, the court also barred Sarkozy from contacting anyone involved in his case, as well as current French Justice Minister Gerard Darmanin, who came under intense public scrutiny after meeting Sarkozy in prison in October.
In a statement posted to X shortly before Sarkozy went to prison on October 21, he emphasized that he was an “innocent person”. Following his conviction, he decried the decision to convict.
“If you want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But hold your head high,” he told reporters after the sentencing hearing, his voice rising with anger.
He released a list of three books he brought into prison, including two volumes of “The Count of Monte Cristo” and a biography of Jesus Christ.
The former president, who left office in 2012, was scheduled to be placed in solitary confinement or in a cell in the so-called “VIP wing” of the La Sante prison facility while awaiting an appeal against his conviction.
This wing is typically reserved for prisoners who are considered unsuitable to be part of the prison’s general population due to safety concerns. They could be politicians, former police officers, members of far-right organizations or people with ties to Islamist terrorist organizations, CNN affiliate BFMTV reported.
The cells in the wing are equipped with metal beds and mattresses, small desks, refrigerators, cooking stoves, televisions, showers, toilets, sinks, and landline telephone lines that prisoners can call at specific authorized numbers.
Previous prisoners include Panama’s former dictator Manuel Noriega, who was exiled during the American invasion and was held in Panama after being extradited from the United States.
This story has been updated with additional developments.
