by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Europe Bureau Chief
PARIS (Worthy News) – Disgraced former French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he will prove his innocence after a court agreed to temporarily release him from the prison where he began serving a five-year sentence on October 21, 2025, following a conviction for “criminal conspiracy” linked to alleged Libyan campaign funding.
He was freed Monday from Paris’s La Santé Prison and placed under strict judicial supervision pending his appeal.
The Paris appeals court ruled that Sarkozy, 70, did not pose a flight risk and could await his appeal outside prison, provided he respects several restrictions.
He is banned from leaving France and forbidden from contacting Justice Ministry officials or others involved in the case, officials confirmed.
Appearing via video link during the hearing, Sarkozy described his brief time in detention as “a nightmare” and “very hard.”
“The law has been applied. I will now prepare for an appeal. My energy is focused solely on proving my innocence. The truth will prevail,” he told reporters after his release.
LIBYA CASE BACKGROUND
Sarkozy was convicted on September 25, 2025, of criminal conspiracy in connection with an alleged scheme to obtain millions of euros in illegal campaign funds from the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his successful 2007 presidential campaign.
The former leader received a five-year sentence, including two years without parole, a 100,000 euros (about $108,000) fine, and a five-year ban from public office.
He has consistently denied the charges, calling them politically motivated and insisting there is “no material proof” linking him to the alleged Libyan funds.
The trial — one of France’s most high-profile corruption cases in decades — included testimony from former ministers, security officials, and intermediaries who claimed that cash-filled briefcases containing millions of euros (worth several million U.S. dollars) were delivered from Tripoli to Paris in 2006 and 2007.
REACTIONS AND IMPLICATIONS
Reactions in France have been mixed.
Supporters within the conservative Les Républicains party welcomed his temporary release, calling the case “judicial overreach.”
But anti-corruption groups said the appeal ruling does not erase the seriousness of the conviction.
“France must show that no one is above the law — not even a former president,” said watchdog Transparency International France in a statement following the ruling.
Sarkozy’s appeal trial is expected to begin in March 2026, when the Paris Court of Appeal will reexamine the evidence and decide whether to uphold or overturn his conviction.
Legal experts say the process could take months and might still reach France’s highest court. While free pending appeal, Sarkozy remains under judicial watch and faces additional cases involving alleged influence-peddling and campaign finance violations.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A federal appeals court has handed a key win to religious liberty advocates, allowing the Union Gospel Mission of Yakima to move forward with its constitutional challenge against Washington state’s hiring restrictions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that Israel and the United States are in full agreement on how to confront Iran, describing his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump as a strategic partnership that will drive continued Israeli security successes in 2026.
Venezuela’s remaining power structure has launched a sweeping security crackdown following the dramatic U.S. operation that captured former leader Nicolás Maduro, arresting journalists, restricting media coverage, and deploying armed paramilitary groups to suppress any public reaction to his removal.
A Dutch court has sentenced the father and two brothers of 18-year-old Ryan Al Najjar to decades-long prison terms for killing the young woman because she allegedly “dishonored” their strict Islamic family.
Recovery crews began stabilizing the remains of Amsterdam’s historic Vondelkerk after a massive blaze tore through the neo-Gothic landmark shortly after the New Year began, forcing evacuations but causing no reported injuries, authorities said.
Tensions remained high Monday in southern Laos after villagers armed with hammers and knives destroyed Christian homes and local authorities tied a pastor to a pole for preaching the Gospel, Christians said.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has dramatically expanded the use of mobile facial-recognition technology during President Donald Trump’s second term, allowing agents to identify suspected illegal immigrants within seconds and accelerating enforcement operations, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal.