Nicolas Sarkozy Preparing to Release Prison Memoir Detailing Three Weeks In Custody
The ex-president of France is preparing a personal account in the coming weeks called A Prisoner’s Diary, which recounts the period spent in jail.
The announcement emerged just 11 days following Sarkozy was released as he appeals the guilty verdict on charges of criminal conspiracy connected to efforts to obtain presidential race money from the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi.
Time in Custody: Personal Reflections
“Inside jail visibility is limited, and nothing to do,” he reflects in a preview, suggesting the memoir will focus on his thoughts during seclusion as opposed to a broader observation on the packed and struggling jail system in France.
“I forget silence, not present in that facility, where there is constant sound,” he adds. “The din unfortunately never stops. But, just like the desert, personal reflection is fortified in prison.”
Court Appearance: Recounting the Hardship
At his release request hearing, he had appeared remotely from his cell, depicting prison life as gruelling. He had told the court: “I wish to commend to all the prison staff, showing great humanity, and who helped make this difficult experience bearable – because it is a nightmare.”
“I never imagined that in my seventies, I’d find myself behind bars. It’s a trial that has been imposed on me. I confess it’s hard, deeply straining. It affects one all who experience it due to its intensity.”
Historical Context
Sarkozy, who led the nation from 2007 to 2012, set a precedent as former head in the European Union and the initial post-WWII figure from France to experience jail.
Before entering jail he mentioned he planned to utilize the opportunity to compose an account.
Reading Material
Unconfirmed is did he manage to go through the three books he had in his cell: a two-volume biography of Jesus together with Dumas’s work the famous story, a plot where an innocent man is imprisoned but escapes to take revenge.
Daily Reality
The former leader remained in solitary confinement to protect him in a room of about nine sq metres with his own shower and toilet at the correctional facility in the city. Two bodyguards were stationed in a neighbouring cell.
It was stated that he had eaten just yogurt while inside due to concerns prison cuisine might have been spat on. Although he had access to prepare his own meals but refused this, based on unnamed sources. Not known is if he will detail what he ate in prison.
Lawyer’s Statements
His attorney, who saw him regularly each day during the incarceration, informed the court security would be better outside jail rather than in custody. “There were menacing messages, listened to yells during nighttime and emergency responses in an adjacent room when a prisoner self-harmed.”
Charges and Sentence
He entered custody in late October after a Paris court sentenced him to five years in prison on conspiracy charges over a scheme to acquire campaign funds during his election campaign.
He denies wrongdoing and is contesting the ruling, and a fresh trial set for the coming spring.
