🔗 Share this article Nicolas Sarkozy Characterizes Existence in Jail as ‘Exhausting’ and ‘a Nightmare’ The former French president has stated that his time behind bars has been “draining” and an “ordeal” as he was present via remote connection at a judicial proceeding regarding his request to complete his jail term at home. Court Appearance from Prison The former leader, dressed in a dark blue attire, appeared on camera from jail on Monday, seated at a table with his lawyers beside him. He informed the judges: “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are remarkably compassionate, and who have made this nightmare bearable – because it is a nightmare.” Context of the Legal Situation The former president was admitted to the correctional facility in Paris on 21 October, after receiving a half-decade imprisonment for illegal collaboration over a plan to obtain funds for his 2007 presidential election campaign from the government of the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. He has appealed against the verdict, but judges ruled that because of the “serious nature” of his conviction, he had to go to prison while the legal challenge proceeded. Historical Importance Sarkozy, who served as France’s rightwing president between 2007 and 2012, is the first former head of an EU country to be imprisoned in prison, and the initial leader since WWII to go behind bars. Emotional Testimony The former president stated to the judges from prison: “I never had any idea or intention to ask Mr Gaddafi for any kind of financing … I will not admit to something I am innocent of … I could not have foreseen that at this stage of life, I’d be in prison. It’s an ordeal that has been forced upon me. I confess it’s difficult, it’s very hard. It has an impact on any prisoner because it’s gruelling.” He stated he would not try to communicate with any defendants or testifiers in the case. He declared: “I’m French, I love my country, my family is in France. This ordeal has made them suffer a lot.” Defense Lawyers Observations His legal representative Jean-Michel Darrois, sitting next to him in the prison video link room, stated: “Being in solitary confinement has been very hard for him.” He said of Sarkozy: “He’s a strong, robust and courageous man and this imprisonment has caused him great suffering.” In court, another of Sarkozy’s lawyers, Christophe Ingrain, who had visited him every day, said Sarkozy would be more secure outside jail than inside. “He has received threats against his life, has heard screaming at night and the urgent intervention in a adjacent room when a prisoner injured themselves,” he stated. Present Situation The public attorney Damien Brunet requested that Sarkozy’s petition for freedom be granted. The court will reveal its ruling on Monday afternoon. Prison Conditions Sarkozy has been held in solitary confinement for his own security, in an private room of about 97 square feet, with his own washing facility and restroom. Security personnel are occupying a neighbouring cell to protect him. Reports indicated that he had been consuming solely yogurt in prison as he was concerned any meal might have been tampered with. He had been offered the facilities to prepare his own meals but refused this. Encouragement from Outside His online presence last week posted a recording of piles of letters, cards and packages it said had been sent to him, including a collage, a chocolate bar and a volume. “No letter will go without a response,” his account declared. “The final chapter has not yet been determined.” Personal Belongings Sarkozy brought with him a biography of Jesus as well as The Count of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas’s novel in which an wrongly accused individual is imprisoned but escapes to seek retribution. Court Case Details During the lengthy court case, the state attorney had informed the judges that Sarkozy entered into a “corrupt agreement” of dishonesty with one of the most unspeakable dictators of the last 30 years. The accused maintained his innocence and said he had not been part of a illegal scheme to obtain campaign finances from Libya. He was found not guilty of three distinct accusations of dishonesty, misuse of Libyan public funds and illegal election campaign funding. After the state prosecutor also appealed against these not guilty verdicts, Sarkozy will be re-tried on all the accusations next year, including criminal conspiracy. Prior Legal Issues Although the allegations of a clandestine financial agreement with the Libyan regime formed the biggest corruption trial Sarkozy had encountered, he had already been found guilty in two separate cases and lost France’s top honor, the Légion d’honneur. Sarkozy had previously become the first former French head of state forced to wear an electronic tag after being found guilty in a separate case of dishonesty and influence peddling. In that case, he was given a 12-month sentence but was able to complete it with an ankle monitor attached to his leg. He had the device for a quarter year before being granted conditional release.