Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been taken to La Santé prison in Paris to serve a five-year sentence after being convicted in a campaign finance scheme related to his 2007 presidential campaign.
This marks the first time a former French president has been jailed since Philippe Pétain, who was imprisoned in 1945 for collaborating with the Nazis during World War II.
The 70-year-old Sarkozy was sentenced by a Paris criminal court after being found guilty of illegally receiving millions in funding from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi for his campaign.
To carry out the sentence, Sarkozy was taken to the historic 19th-century La Santé prison in the Montparnasse district, south of the Seine River, at 09:40 (07:40 GMT) under heavy security.
Shortly before being taken to prison, Sarkozy posted on X, reiterating his innocence.
“I have no doubt. The truth will emerge. But the price to pay will be very high,” he wrote.
“With great courage, I say to the French people that this morning, it’s not a former president being imprisoned—it’s an innocent man. Don’t feel sorry for me. I have my wife and children by my side… But this morning, I feel great sadness for France being diminished by a spirit of vengeance,” he added.
Sarkozy has appealed the sentence. He will be held in a solitary cell of approximately nine square meters (95 square feet), arranged for his safety despite his wish to avoid special treatment, as the prison also houses notorious drug traffickers and terrorism convicts. The cell includes a bathroom, shower, desk, and small TV. He will be allowed one hour of solitary exercise per day.
When Sarkozy arrived at the prison, more than 100 people had gathered outside, including his 28-year-old son Louis, who had called on supporters to show up. His other son, Pierre, urged people to send messages of love.
Current French President Emmanuel Macron met with Sarkozy at the Élysée Palace late last week. On Monday, he told reporters it was normal “on a human level” to meet with his predecessor in such circumstances.
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