The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison for corruption of a magistrate 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.
«I want to reiterate my perfect innocence» says the former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, who speaks of “profound injustice” referring to the sentence of the French Court of Cassation which sentenced him to one year in prison with an electronic bracelet for corruption and influence peddling.
«I was convicted of a so-called “corruption pact” with someone – Judge Azibert – with whom I did not speak, without any compensation, neither financial nor of any kind»writes Sarkozy on X. «As I have always done during these 12 long years of judicial persecution, I will assume my responsibilities and face all the consequences. It is absolutely not my intention to complain. I am aware that I have been favored by life in many ways. But I am not determined to accept the profound injustice that has been done to me”, adds the former French president. «My rights have been violated both in terms of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and that of the Constitutional Council. My appeal to the ECHR could unfortunately lead to condemnation from France. This could have been avoided if I had benefited from a calm legal analysis”, continues Sarkozy. «I want to reiterate my perfect innocence and remain convinced of my rights. My determination is total on this issue as on the others. The truth will triumph in the end. At that point everyone will have to answer to the French”, he concludes.
«The appeal to the European Court is explained by the fact that the jurisprudence of the Court itself is contrary to what was established today by the French Supreme Court, which rejected Nicolas Sarkozy’s appeal”: he said Patrice Spinosi, lawyer of the former French president.«It is the first time in France that a person has been convicted solely on the basis of telephone communications with his lawyer, which were intercepted. Wiretapping between a lawyer and his client cannot be used against the client himself, it is a rule that is part of fundamental freedoms and which justifies our appeal.”
