The Paris Court of Appeal today, Monday, ordered the release of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, after he spent twenty days inside the La Santé prison in the French capital. The release is tied to the high-profile case concerning the alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign. The order mandates that he remain under strict judicial supervision, preventing him from communicating with other witnesses or co-defendants.
During the hearing on the release request, the French Public Prosecution Office recommended Sarkozy’s conditional release. It justified this by citing the “full representative guarantees” he enjoys, noting that his political and economic standing, coupled with his family ties, made it highly improbable that he would flee or obstruct the course of justice.
An Unprecedented Historical Scene
The 70-year-old Sarkozy appeared via video link from prison during the session, a scene considered unprecedented in the history of the French Republic, as he is the first former French president to be actually imprisoned. During his address, Sarkozy expressed defiance, stating, “Prison is extremely difficult, but it has not broken my will. I am fighting for the truth, and I appreciate the humanity of the prison staff who have made this nightmare more bearable.”
Sarkozy had been convicted by the Paris Criminal Court on September 25, receiving a five-year sentence, three of which were non-suspended (custodial). The conviction stemmed from charges of conspiring to seek illicit campaign funding from the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, accusations Sarkozy has consistently denied, maintaining he is the victim of “political revenge and hatred.”
The Bulgarian Role
In a notable political development, Bulgaria entered the fray. Its President, Rumen Radev, spearheaded a large solidarity campaign for Sarkozy, involving prominent Bulgarian politicians and human rights advocates, including former presidents, ministers, and a former prosecutor-general.
This plea served as a reminder of Sarkozy’s pivotal role in 2007 during the crisis of the Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who were detained in Libya; his intensive French-led efforts ultimately secured their release.
Speaking at an official ceremony in Sofia last Friday, President Radev appealed to European leaders to support and secure Sarkozy’s release, affirming, “He is a man who served humanitarian values and contributed to saving our citizens from prison. He deserves sympathy and gratitude, not imprisonment.”
Many observers view the decision for the former French President’s conditional release as occurring at a highly sensitive time, amidst escalating domestic debate in France regarding the independence of the judiciary and the limits of political accountability.