Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been sentenced to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for one year after his bribery and illegal influence conviction was upheld. This unprecedented ruling in France mandates his compliance while he appeals to the European Court of Human Rights. Sarkozy faces a three-year election ban and has expressed his intent to fight the ruling, maintaining his innocence. He previously received a one-year prison term for exceeding campaign costs and is also involved in an upcoming trial regarding alleged Libyan funding for his 2007 campaign.
Final Verdict for Sarkozy: Electronic Ankle Bracelet for One Year
After a lengthy legal battle, the final ruling is in: former French President Nicolas Sarkozy is required to wear an electronic ankle bracelet for a duration of one year. Sarkozy has expressed his intention to challenge this ruling at the European Court of Human Rights.
Historic Sentence for France’s Former Leader
Ultimately, Nicolas Sarkozy’s appeal was unsuccessful as the highest court in Paris upheld his conviction for bribery and illegal influence. This marks a significant moment in France’s judicial history, as it is the first time a former president has been sentenced to prison without the possibility of parole. Out of his total three-year sentence, he will serve one year under the ankle bracelet, with the remaining two years on probation. Additionally, Sarkozy faces a three-year ban from participating in elections.
This recent ruling further complicates any potential political comeback for Sarkozy, which had already seemed unlikely in recent times.
Sarkozy’s legal team has stated that he will comply with the sentence but plans to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg. However, it is important to note that such an appeal will not pause the enforcement of his sentence.
Expressing his feelings on social media platform X, Sarkozy proclaimed his ‘complete innocence’ and voiced his determination to contest what he perceives as a grave injustice against him.
Details regarding the conditions of the ankle bracelet will be provided to Sarkozy within three weeks. He will be required to remain at his residence during designated times; failure to do so will trigger an alarm from the device. As Sarkozy approaches his 70th birthday in January, he may also seek early release after serving half of his sentence.
In France, shorter sentences are frequently converted into requirements to wear electronic ankle bracelets. Currently, there are approximately 15,500 individuals serving their sentences in this manner.
The indictment against Sarkozy stemmed from allegations that he attempted to secure confidential information in a separate case from lawyer Gilbert Azibert through his long-time attorney Thierry Herzog in 2014, in exchange for support for Azibert’s appointment in Monaco. The prosecution argued that this conduct posed a significant threat to judicial independence. Herzog and Azibert also received three-year prison sentences, with two years suspended.
Additionally, Sarkozy exceeded the allowable campaign expenditures by over 20 million euros during the 2012 election.
This is not the only legal trouble facing Sarkozy. He was previously sentenced to a one-year prison term in February due to excessive campaign costs from his unsuccessful re-election bid in 2012, with six months of that sentence suspended. He is currently appealing this decision as well. Furthermore, next year, a trial is set to commence concerning allegations of millions in funding from Libya for his 2007 election campaign, which he has vehemently denied.