France: Former President Nicolas Sarkozy Freed from Prison Pending Appeal

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been released from prison after a Paris court ruled on Monday that he could remain free while appealing his conviction for criminal conspiracy linked to illegal campaign financing.

Sarkozy, 70, had been serving a five-year sentence at La Santé Prison in Paris after being found guilty of accepting millions in illicit funds from Libya to finance his 2007 presidential campaign. The court decision means he will now be released under judicial supervision as his appeal proceeds.

According to French media outlet BFMTV, Sarkozy is barred from leaving France and from contacting anyone involved in his case, including Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who drew criticism for visiting him in prison last month.

Speaking via videolink during Monday’s hearing, Sarkozy described his 20 days in prison as “very hard,” while commending prison staff for their “exceptional humanity” that made “this nightmare bearable.”

Reports from Le Point magazine revealed that Sarkozy, during his three-week incarceration, refused to eat anything except yogurt — allegedly out of fear that other inmates might tamper with his food.

Before entering prison on October 21, the former president had taken to X (formerly Twitter) to declare his innocence. “If they absolutely want me to sleep in prison, I will sleep in prison. But with my head held high,” he told journalists after his sentencing.

During his time behind bars, Sarkozy reportedly brought along three books — two volumes of The Count of Monte Cristo and a biography of Jesus Christ — symbolic choices for a man who insists he is the victim of injustice.

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, was expected to stay in a solitary or “VIP” wing of La Santé Prison — a secure area designated for high-profile inmates and those deemed unsafe to mix with the general prison population.

That section has previously housed notable figures, including former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega. Cells are equipped with a bed, desk, fridge, shower, television, and a restricted telephone line.

Sarkozy continues to deny wrongdoing and has vowed to clear his name in court as the appeal process unfolds.