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A French court on Monday ordered the release of former President Nicolas Sarkozy from prison under judicial supervision, 20 days after he entered La Sante prison on Oct. 21.
According to broadcaster BFMTV, the president of the Paris Court of Appeal said, “The court declares the application for release admissible and places you under judicial supervision.”
The court also prohibited Sarkozy from contacting Justice Minister Gerald Darmanin or other individuals involved in the ongoing Libyan campaign financing case.
Prosecutors supported Sarkozy’s request for release, citing his cooperation with police and consistent appearances in court.
Speaking via video conference, Sarkozy described his short imprisonment as a “nightmare” and a “grueling experience.”
“I could never have imagined that I would have to wait 70 years to discover prison. This ordeal was imposed on me, and I endured it. It’s hard, very hard,” Sarkozy said.
The former president reiterated his innocence, rejecting all charges related to the so-called Libya case and saying he was “fighting for the truth.”
In September, Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison, including one year to be served, after being found guilty of criminal conspiracy in a case concerning alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.
The court acquitted him of passive corruption and illegal campaign financing charges but ruled that he participated in forming a criminal organization.
Despite appealing the ruling, Sarkozy began serving his sentence immediately, as French law required execution of the prison term while the appeal was pending.
His lawyers filed a release request the same day he entered prison.
Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, has consistently denied wrongdoing in the case, which dates back to a 2013 investigation into claims that late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi illegally funded his campaign.
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