Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy Begins Prison Term for Criminal Conspiracy

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has officially begun serving his five-year prison sentence after being convicted of criminal conspiracy in connection with the alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.

Sarkozy arrived at La Santé Prison in Paris on Tuesday morning, becoming the first former French president to be formally incarcerated. His arrival marks a historic moment in French political history, according to reports by BFM TV.

Supporters gathered outside his Paris residence to show solidarity as his lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, announced plans to file a request for Sarkozy’s release “very quickly,” noting that he may remain in detention for up to a month while awaiting an appeal ruling.

Before leaving for prison, Sarkozy released a statement on social media platform X, condemning what he described as a “judicial scandal.” He maintained his innocence, claiming the investigation was based on falsified documents and insisting that “the truth will triumph.”

The 70-year-old former leader was sentenced last month after being found guilty of conspiracy but cleared of charges of passive corruption and illegal campaign financing.

Sarkozy, who served as France’s president from 2007 to 2012, remains one of the country’s most polarizing political figures, and his imprisonment has reignited debates over political accountability and judicial independence in France.