In a historic and somber moment for France, former President Nicolas Sarkozy began a five-year prison sentence on Tuesday, becoming the first French leader since the Second World War to be incarcerated.
The 70-year-old was photographed with his wife, Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, near their home on Tuesday morning, holding hands in a public show of unity before traveling to Paris’ La Santé prison to commence his sentence. Sarkozy has consistently declared his innocence in the matter.
The conviction stems from a verdict delivered last month, where Sarkozy was found guilty of criminal conspiracy. The charges alleged that he was involved in the illegal financing of his successful 2007 presidential election campaign using funds from Libya.
While the former conservative president was acquitted of personally receiving or using the funds, the court found him guilty of conspiring to raise them. This conviction adds to a previous corruption conviction for Sarkozy, capping years of protracted legal battles.
According to his lawyer, Sarkozy has been preparing for his imprisonment. The lawyer told French media that the former president packed jumpers and earplugs to cope with the prison conditions, as well as several books. Notably among his reading material is Alexandre Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo,” a classic novel about a man who is wrongfully imprisoned and later enacts revenge.
Sarkozy will serve his time in the isolation unit of La Santé prison, an institution known for housing several high-profile inmates, including the Venezuelan militant known as Carlos the Jackal. Inmates in this unit are held in single cells, typically measuring 9 to 12 square meters, and are kept apart from others in the yard and activity room. He will, however, have access to a television and a landline telephone.
As he entered the prison, a show of support emerged from his family and followers. His son called a rally to support him, and admirers were heard shouting the former president’s name. In a lengthy online post, his son declared his father’s innocence.
Through his lawyer, Sarkozy has conveyed that he is not afraid and has vowed to “fight to the end.”