Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to 3 years in prison for corruption of a judge and influence peddling, one of which without parole, with the benefit of an electronic bracelet. The Court of Cassation in fact rejected the appeal of Sarkozy’s lawyers against the final sentence on appeal. That of Sarkozy, 69 years old, is an unprecedented sentence for a former French head of state.
In a month’s time, Sarkozy should see the one-year sentence of limiting his freedom applied with the provision of an electronic bracelet for him. In reality, in just a month the former president will turn 70 and will be able to ask not to serve the year of the electronic bracelet.
In the affair commonly known by the name of “Bismuth”, used by the former president for confidential contacts, Sarkozy was found guilty of having entered into, in 2014, together with his long-time lawyer, Thierry Herzog, a “corruption pact” with Gilbert Azibert, senior magistrate at the Court of Cassation, so that he could communicate information to him and try to influence the magistrates on an appeal by Sarkozy in another matter, that of the Bettencourt case. This was in exchange for “a helping hand” promised to the judge for an honorary position in the principality of Monaco. The three defendants have always denied wrongdoing, recalling that the influence peddling did not occur because the magistrate never obtained the desired protection.
Sarkozy’s lawyers announced that their client “logically complies” with the final sentence. At the same time they announced an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.
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