Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived at La Sante prison in Paris on Tuesday to start a five-year sentence for conspiring to raise campaign funds from Libya.
The former conservative president left his home earlier, walking hand in hand with his wife Carla Bruni and cheered on by a crowd of supporters chanting 'Nicolas, Nicolas' and singing France's La Marseillaise national anthem.
Sarkozy, who was convicted and sentenced last month, will become the first former French leader to be jailed since Nazi collaborator Marshal Philippe Petain after World War Two.
Shortly after he stepped into a car to head to La Sante, Sarkozy published a long message on X in which he claimed to be a victim of revenge and hatred.
"I want to tell (French people), with the unshakable strength that is mine, that it is not a former president of the Republic who is being imprisoned this morning — it is an innocent man," he said.
Sarkozy's conviction capped years of legal battles over allegations that his 2007 campaign took millions in cash from Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
While Sarkozy was found guilty of conspiring with close aides to orchestrate the scheme, he was acquitted of personally receiving or using the funds.
He has consistently denied wrongdoing and has called the case politically motivated.
"I am very proud of him, proud that he is going to prison with his head held high, and absolutely convinced of his innocence," his brother, Guillaume Sarkozy, told BFM TV.
He was among relatives and supporters who cheered the former president on his way to jail.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as Washington tries to stabilise the first, shaky, phase of the Gaza ceasefire and...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has announced the lifting of restrictions on the transit of goods to Armenia through Azerbaijani territory, during ...
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a joint declaration and pledged closer cooperation on Tuesday, as their presidents hailed a new era of regional conne...
Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli said the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state should hold a parliamentary vote to join Türkiye, two days after T...
The Zangezur Corridor is progressing steadily, with hopes it could open by the end of 2028, President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev said in a statement t...
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as Washington tries to stabilise the first, shaky, phase of the Gaza ceasefire and push Israel and Hamas towards the harder concessions asked of each side in coming talks.
Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan signed a joint declaration and pledged closer cooperation on Tuesday, as their presidents hailed a new era of regional connectivity and peace following a summit in Astana.
Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli said the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state should hold a parliamentary vote to join Türkiye, two days after Turkish Cypriots elected a candidate in favour of restarting talks with Greek Cypriots.
Presidents of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan have reviewed a new development plan for the Middle Corridor, a key trade route linking China to Europe via Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
At least 69 people have died and almost 150 injured following a powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Cebu City in the central Visayas region of the Philippines, officials said, making it one of the country’s deadliest disasters this year.
A tsunami threat was issued in Chile after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Drake Passage on Friday. The epicenter was located 135 miles south of Puerto Williams on the north coast of Navarino Island.
The war in Ukraine has reached a strategic impasse, and it seems that the conflict will not be solved by military means. This creates a path toward one of two alternatives: either a “frozen” phase that can last indefinitely or a quest for a durable political regulation.
A shooting in Nice, southeastern France, left two people dead and five injured on Friday, authorities said.
Snapchat will start charging users who store more than 5GB of photos and videos in its Memories feature, prompting backlash from long-time users.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance was holding talks in Israel on Tuesday as Washington tries to stabilise the first, shaky, phase of the Gaza ceasefire and push Israel and Hamas towards the harder concessions asked of each side in coming talks.
Turkish nationalist leader Devlet Bahceli said the breakaway Turkish Cypriot state should hold a parliamentary vote to join Türkiye, two days after Turkish Cypriots elected a candidate in favour of restarting talks with Greek Cypriots.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance arrived in Israel on Tuesday as Washington seeks to stabilise the fragile Gaza ceasefire and press Israel and Hamas toward deeper concessions in upcoming talks.
Poland and Romania detained eight people suspected of planning sabotage on behalf of Russia, authorities in Warsaw said on Tuesday, with three arrests concerning an alleged new plan to send exploding parcels, this time to Ukraine.
Nigerian police used teargas and blocked major roads in Abuja to halt protests against the ongoing detention of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, who is on trial for terrorism charges on Monday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment