Former French President Granted Parole from Prison
According to the English section of webangah News Agency, citing Mehr News Agency and Agence France-Presse, a French court has ordered the release of former President Nicolas Sarkozy.
French broadcaster BFMTV reported that Sarkozy can be freed on the condition he does not contact other individuals involved in the case.
The Paris Court of Appeal approved the release of Sarkozy, who was sentenced to five years in prison for “forming a criminal association” in the so-called “Libya case.”
French media reported that prosecutors requested his release under judicial supervision.
Sarkozy had been imprisoned at La Santé prison 20 days earlier. He participated in a recent court hearing via videoconference, where he denied all charges again and described prison conditions as “harsh and exhausting.”
Along with ordering his release under judicial supervision, the court banned Sarkozy from contacting Gérald Darmanin, France’s Minister of Justice.
Sarkozy was accused of illegally receiving campaign funding from then Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during his 2007 presidential campaign. In September last year, he was acquitted of financial corruption charges but sentenced to five years for “forming a criminal organization.”
Russian news agency Sputnik reported that French media confirmed Sarkozy’s car left the prison grounds following the Court of Appeal’s decision allowing his conditional release.
