“It was only natural that, on a human level, I would receive one of my predecessors in this context,” Emmanuel Macron stated on Monday, after having met with Nicolas Sarkozy at the Élysée on Friday, October 17.
“I have always been very clear in my public statements about the independence of the judiciary and the role that is mine,” Emmanuel Macron, however, insisted on repeating.
On Monday, the Minister of Justice stated that he would “visit him in prison,” expressing concern about the “security conditions” during his detention and emphasizing that the Minister of Justice can “visit any prison and any detainee whenever he wishes.”
The minister also said he received the imprisonment of the man he describes as his political mentor with “great sadness.” A sadness shared by many within the French right, for whom Mr. Sarkozy was a leading figure.
Immediate Filing of a Request for Release
At La Santé prison, Mr. Sarkozy is expected to be placed alone in one of the 15 nine-square-meter cells in the isolation wing. This is the only way to prevent any interaction with other inmates and ensure his safety. His lawyers will immediately file a request for his release. The court of appeal will have two months to rule, but the hearing is expected to take place sooner.
At this stage of the proceedings, since his appeal, Nicolas Sarkozy is once again presumed innocent. As such, he can only be kept in detention if it is the “only means” to prevent pressure on witnesses or victims, flight, reoffending, interactions with accomplices, or to ensure his safety. If this is not the case, he must be released under judicial supervision, potentially including house arrest with an electronic bracelet.