Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has arrived in prison in Paris to begin serving a 5-year sentence for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with Libyan funds.
He is the first former leader of modern France to be imprisoned.
On his way to prison, Sarkozy said that “an innocent man is locked up.”
THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. A previous AP story is below.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy walked hand-in-hand with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy down the avenue of his home on Tuesday before heading to prison to face charges of conspiracy to finance his 2007 coup. an election campaign funded by Libya, the first imprisoned former female leader of modern France.
Sarkozy is contesting both the conviction and the judge’s unusual decision to jail him pending an appeal. His journey from the presidential Elysée Palace to the infamous La Santé prison in Paris captivated France.
Sarkozy and his wife walked slowly past a throng of reporters to join his children and grandchildren outside his home. He waved to the crowd of supporters before getting into his car.
Hundreds of supporters gathered in the posh Paris neighborhood where Sarkozy lives, clapping and chanting “Nicolas, Nicolas” and singing the French national anthem. Two French flags are hung on a nearby fence with the words: “Courage Nicolas, come back soon” and “the real France with Nicolas”.
Sarkozy’s sons and daughter Jean, Pierre, Louis and Giulia and his grandchildren appeared at the gathering.
Paris resident Michelle Perié, 67, said she supported “because there is anger, injustice”.
“He is not like the other defendants, he is a keeper of state secrets, he always did his job with his head held high. We don’t understand,” she said.
Last week, embattled centrist President Emmanuel Macron hosted conservative Sarkozy at the presidential palace. “I have always been clear in public statements about my role in the independence of the judiciary, but on a human level it was normal to accept one of my predecessors in this context,” Macron said on Monday.
Sarkozy’s lawyers said the former president would be held in solitary confinement, where he would be kept away from all other prisoners for security reasons.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, said on BFM television that the imprisonment “strengthens his determination, strengthens his fury to prove his innocence”. Ingrain said Sarkozy plans to write a book about his experience in prison.
Jean-Michel Darrois, another of Sarkozy’s lawyers, said on Tuesday that the former president was “mentally prepared” to be held in solitary confinement, where he would be kept away from all other prisoners for security reasons.
“First, he packed a bag with a few sweaters because it’s cold in prison and earplugs because it’s very noisy,” Darrois told France Info news broadcaster. “Isolation like what he’s going through is painful, but he’s prepared.
“I am not afraid of prison. I will hold my head high, also in front of the door of La Santé,” Sarkozy told La Tribune Dimanche newspaper. “I will fight to the end.”
The newspaper says that Sarkozy has prepared a prison bag with clothes and 10 family photos that he is allowed to bring.
Sarkozy also told Le Figaro newspaper that he would bring three books – the most allowed – including Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, in which the hero escapes from an island prison before seeking revenge.
A Paris judge ruled that Sarkozy will begin prison without waiting for his appeal to be heard because “the offense involved a disturbance of public order”.
Under the ruling, Sarkozy, 70, will only be able to apply for release to the appeals court once he is behind bars, and judges will have up to two months to consider it.
Sarkozy’s lawyers said the release request would be made very soon.
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AP journalists Angela Charlton, Oleg Cetinic.