Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has released his book, "Diary of a Prisoner" ("Le Journal d’un Prisonnier"), on his time in jail following his conviction. .
The memoir was published on Wednesday, 10 December, with hundreds of supporters welcoming him at a book-signing event in Paris
The book, published by a French Paris-based publishing house Fayard, recounts the three weeks Sarkozy spent in La Santé prison this autumn, after the Paris court found him guilty of criminal association in a plot from 2005 to 2007.
Nicolas Sarkozy was accused of financing his winning 2007 presidential campaign with funds from former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, in exchange for diplomatic favours, when he was still serving as interior minister.
The 70-year-old former leader was convicted on 25 September, 2025, began serving his sentence on 21 October, and was released on 10 November pending an appeal.
The appeal trial in the Libya case is scheduled to run from 16 March to 3 June, 2026.
The former president has consistently denied any wrongdoing and claimed the ruling on his case would 'undermine faith in France's judiciary'.
Supporters gathered enthusiastically as Sarkozy appeared to promote the memoir.
One of former leader's fans, 68-year-old Francois Duthu, said he wanted to read this book because he is "sure it will recount the most intense moments of his time in prison".
"I'm so outraged that the former president went to prison in a free country like ours - it's a scandal, truly," Duthu concluded.
Another supporter, Agnes Gras, 59, said she wanted to "pay him respects", as she felt that "what he went through was unjust".
"We don’t remember enough that he was also mayor of Neuilly and that he saved children during the ‘Human Bomb’ attack," she said mentioning the Neuilly kindergarten hostage crisis of 13–15 May, 1993.
In France's Neuilly‑sur‑Seine, Érick Schmitt, a distressed and unemployed businessman calling himself the “Human Bomb,” held a kindergarten class hostage for two days. The standoff drew national attention and was ultimately resolved by French authorities, with Sarkozy personally intervening during the crisis.
"He accomplished a great deal,” Gras added.
Earlier conviction
Sarkozy was also convicted, in 2024, of having spent almost twice the maximum legal amount of 22.5 million euros ($25.5 million) on the 2012 re-election bid he lost to François Hollande.
He had appealed his conviction over the re-election campaign.
The Court of Cassation upheld the guilty verdict, making former President Sarkozy’s conviction final under French law, with no further appeals possible.
However, six months of his sentence were suspended and could be served through alternative measures, such as wearing an electronic bracelet, rather than in prison.
Sarkozy, the first post-war French president to be imprisoned, was also previously cleared of three other charges, including passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and concealing the embezzlement of public funds.
China’s Special Envoy for Afghanistan, Yue Xiaoyong, has met Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Mohammad Sadiq, in Islamabad to di...
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while d...
International organisations, investors, environmental experts and business representatives gathered in Samarkand for the opening of Eco Expo Central A...
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international eff...
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has said Yerevan remains committed to normalising relations with Azerbaijan and Türkiye, expressing confidenc...
Nicolas Sarkozy is due back in court on Monday as he challenges a conviction linked to claims his 2007 election campaign sought financial backing from Libya under former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
France’s highest court upheld former President Nicolas Sarkozy’s conviction for illegal campaign financing on Wednesday, marking another legal setback for the 70-year-old former leader.
Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy will release a new book next month recounting his recent time behind bars, his publisher Fayard announced on Friday.
Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will appeal his conviction for conspiring to secure illegal Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign, with hearings set from 16 March to 3 June, the Paris appeal court said on Thursday (13 November).
Okinawa lost transport links and suffered widespread power outages on Monday (1 June) as Severe Tropical Storm Jangmi brought destructive winds and heavy rain to Japan's south-western islands.
Competing narratives continue to shape perceptions of the war in Ukraine, with Russian leadership suggesting a possible end phase while Ukrainian officials warn of renewed large-scale attacks and ongoing escalation risks.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has held talks with Lebanese President and Israeli Prime Minister on efforts to ease tensions between Israel and Lebanon. According to a U.S. official, Washington has proposed a plan aimed at achieving a gradual de-escalation of hostilities.
When Armenians vote on 7 June, they will be voting in an election shaped by months of political change and a rapidly deepening relationship with the European Union. The result may not only determine who governs Armenia but also the future direction of the country's geopolitical alignment.
Unsealed records from the U.S. Department of Justice have renewed scrutiny of lawyer Robert Amsterdam after documents revealed communications between his law firm and Jeffrey Epstein's office. The disclosures have drawn attention because of Amsterdam's prominent role in Armenia.
British police are facing a national backlash over their handling of the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old student Henry Nowak, who was handcuffed while dying from stab wounds after his attacker falsely claimed to be the victim of a racist assault.
China is sending doctors, medical teams and emergency supplies to help combat a growing Ebola outbreak in Central Africa, joining an international effort to contain the disease before it spreads further.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) said they struck a cargo ship owned by the “American-Zionist enemy” with a cruise missile after an Iranian freighter was attacked in the Sea of Oman.
Dutch police have launched an investigation into the use of force against a pregnant woman at an asylum seekers' centre in Zeist after videos of the incident circulated widely on social media.
Hungarian Prime Minister Péter Magyar said on Monday that his government would begin legal proceedings to remove President Tamás Sulyok if he continues to reject calls to resign.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment