The former French president, Nicolas Sarkozywas convicted of corruption of magistrates and influence peddling a 3 years in prison of which one without parole, with the benefit of 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 one unprecedented sentence for a former French head of state. Within a month, the former president should see the one-year penalty of limiting his freedom by wearing an electronic bracelet applied. But in reality, just in a month, Sarkozy will turn 70 and this will allow him to ask not to serve the year of the electronic bracelet.
In the story, known as “Bismuth“, a word used by the former president for the management of confidential contacts, Sarkozy had been found guilty of having established, in 2014, together with his historic lawyer, Thierry Herzog, what was recognized as a “corruption pact” with Gilbert Azibert, senior magistrate at the Court of Cassationso 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 hand” promised to the judge for a prestigious position in the principality of Monaco.
The three defendants have always denied wrongdoingrecalling that influence peddling has not occurred since the magistrate never obtained the desired protection. After the publication of the sentence, on X, Sarkozy speaks of “great injustice“. “I was convicted of a so-called “corruption pact” with someone – judge Azibert – with whom I did not speak, I did not receive any compensation, neither financial nor of any kind,” writes the former French president in an outburst to heat. “As I have always done during these 12 long years of judicial persecution, I will assume my responsibilities and face all the consequences.”
And again: “It is absolutely not my intention to complain. I am aware that I have been favored by life in many ways. But I do not accept profound injustice that was done to me” – says Sarkozy -. My rights have been violated both in terms of the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights and that of the Constitutional Council. I want reiterate my perfect innocence and stay convinced of my rights. My determination is total on this issue as on the others – he concludes -. The truth will triumph in the end. At that point everyone will have to answer to the French.”
The defense lawyers of the former French president, who had his final appeal against his conviction rejected by the Court of Cassation in the case of influence peddling and corruption of a judge, have therefore communicated that their client “logically complies” with the sentence definitive. But at the same time they announced a appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. According to one of Sarkozy’s lawyers, the former president was convicted on the sole basis of intercepted conversations with his lawyer: “AND the first time in France a person is convicted only on the basis of telephone communications with his lawyer, which were intercepted – commented Patrice Spinosi -. The wiretaps between a lawyer and his client they cannot be used against the customer himself, is a rule that is part of the fundamental freedoms and which justifies our appeal.”
