The gist of Nicolas Sarkozy’s Libyan attraction trial: “I did not commit an act of corruption” | EUROtoday

Right in his boots. Nicolas Sarkozy reiterated that he was “innocent” and had “not committed an act of corruption, neither near nor far”, through the first week of his attraction trial, which is being held in Paris from March 16 to June 3. Justice accuses him of getting acquired secret funds from dictator Muammar Gaddafi for his victorious presidential marketing campaign in 2007.

At first occasion, on September 25, 2025, the Paris felony court docket discovered him responsible of felony conspiracy and sentenced him to 5 years’ imprisonment, a fantastic of 100,000 euros, a ban from all public workplace for 5 years and deprivation of his civil and civic rights for a similar interval, as a consequence of “corruption at the highest level” of “exceptional seriousness”. Entered the Health jail on October 21 underneath the cameras of the entire world, Nicolas Sarkozy obtained his launch underneath judicial supervision three weeks later. A brand new authorized marathon for the previous President of the Republic who hopes to not return behind bars.

See additionallyFrance: Sarkozy again in court docket within the Libyan case

• Monday March 16: Claude Guéant, largely absent from the trial

Sitting within the entrance row of the defendants’ bench underneath the ornaments of the primary chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal, the previous head of state attended the opening of the proceedings with out saying a phrase. The president of the court docket, Olivier Géron, proceeded with the attraction of the defendants. Eleven folks have been summoned to seem: Nicolas Sarkozy; Claude Guéant, the previous secretary basic of the Elysée sentenced to 6 years in jail; Brice Hortefeux, the previous Minister of the Interior (two years in jail, convertible right into a bracelet), the middleman Alexandre Djouhri (six years in jail); the nice Libyan financier, Bechir Saleh (5 years); banker Wahib Nacer (4 years); Saudi billionaire Khaled Bugshan (three years); Malaysian lawyer Sivajothi Rajendram (18 months); in addition to Eric Woerth, marketing campaign treasurer; Edouard Ullmo, former Airbus govt; and businessman Thierry Gaubert.

The most emblematic absentee from the trial was the previous secretary basic of the Elysée Claude Guéant. Suffering, the previous basic secretary of the Elysée “is not able to appear either currently or in the coming months” on the attraction trial over the Libyan financing of Nicolas Sarkozy’s presidential marketing campaign, in keeping with a medical report learn on the listening to on Tuesday, March 17, by the president of the court docket. At first occasion, the 81-year-old former right-hand man of Nicolas Sarkozy was one of many defendants most closely sanctioned by the Paris Criminal Court, which sentenced him to 6 years in jail for an entire sequence of crimes, together with corruption, passive affect peddling, forgery and use of forgery and felony affiliation. Taking under consideration his well being, the court docket didn’t, nevertheless, accompany this sentence with a committal warrant, in contrast to what was the case for Nicolas Sarkozy.

• Tuesday March 17: the protection calls into query the jurisdiction of the court docket

Nicolas Sarkozy reiterated that he was “innocent” and had “not committed an act of corruption, neither near nor far”, in his first speech. The president of the court docket of attraction, Olivier Géron, then invited him to the bar to ask him a query in regards to the exceptions raised by his protection, procedural factors previous to the debates on the deserves. Nicolas Sarkozy’s attorneys raised two particularly to problem the jurisdiction of the court docket of attraction. Firstly, their shopper ought to, in keeping with them, seem earlier than the Court of Justice of the Republic (CJR), the acts having been dedicated whereas he was Minister of the Interior.

They then addressed the felony irresponsibility of the President of the Republic who, in keeping with the Constitution, is “not responsible for acts carried out in this capacity”. Dating again to 2007 and wished by Jacques Chirac, a modification of this felony immunity of the pinnacle of state was developed at a time when Nicolas Sarkozy was in authorities. The president of the court docket due to this fact requested him what his place was on the time on this reform.

“I am here as a defendant, not as a specialist in institutional issues,” replied Nicolas Sarkozy, earlier than taking the chance to proclaim his innocence. “I do not believe that I formulated any public opinion on this text” on the time, a “consensual reform”, added Nicolas Sarkozy.

His request to not be judged by a standard regulation court docket arises from a “confusion between impunity and immunity”, commented Vincent Brengarth, lawyer for the anti-corruption affiliation Sherpa, an evaluation just like that of the final prosecutor’s workplace. “By engaging in seemingly political acts, Nicolas Sarkozy implemented the “political, economic, diplomatic” counterparts to the corruptive pact concluded in 2005-2007,” stated one of many three attorneys basic, Damien Brunet, very incisive from the outset. He “distorted the presidential function to act within the framework of a criminal process” and due to this fact “did not act as President of the Republic”, continued this consultant of the prosecution.

It is the unusual justice system, and never the CJR, which is competent to evaluate Nicolas Sarkozy and one other former minister, Brice Hortefeux, as a result of the acts with which they’re accused weren’t dedicated inside the framework of the progress of the State, the Justice of the Peace additional argued.

• Wednesday March 18: Eric Woerth strives to clarify the “astonishing” inflows of money

Particularly sober and laconic, the previous president reiterated that he had “committed none of the acts” which earned him his historic conviction at first occasion. “I appealed because I did not commit any of the acts for which I was convicted. I will mobilize all the forces of which I am capable to defend this truth deeply rooted in me,” declared Nicolas Sarkozy, who final fall was the primary incarcerated president within the historical past of the Republic, with restraint on the bar. Called to return to the stand, Nicolas Sarkozy didn’t want to broaden on his remarks: “What I told you, Mr. President, is what I feel deep within myself.”

Like Nicolas Sarkozy, the defendants who spoke stated that they had no information of the details with which they’re accused. Virulently, the middleman Alexandre Djouhri requested the court docket “to be objective, and not one-sided” by contemplating that he had been “put in a state of civil death” regardless of an investigation “without the slightest element”. “They imprisoned me for false reasons, but that’s okay, I’m standing. If it happened to anyone other than me, he would be talking to the birds,” stated the person who was sentenced to 6 years in jail at first occasion.

Former minister Brice Hortefeux, a long-time buddy of Nicolas Sarkozy, stated he would “prove” that all the things he was accused of was “rigorously false”. “There is not a morning when I do not wake up without wondering about the motivations for this judgment which I consider as unjust as it is unfounded,” stated the previous minister, who had been sentenced to 2 years in jail, topic to alter.

Eric Woerth endeavored on Wednesday to clarify the “astonishing” inflows of money into Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 electoral marketing campaign, on the attraction trial in Paris over Libyan financing. The man who was on the time treasurer of the UMP champion’s marketing campaign, admits to having distributed within the spring of 2007 “around 30-35,000 euros” in money to marketing campaign staff, cash acquired by mail in envelopes, stamped or not, through the marketing campaign. A windfall that he attributes to nameless donations from a number of supporters of candidate Sarkozy, then on the launching pad for the Elysée. “We realize over time that there is a series of discounts, surprising but that’s how it is. It’s not so easy to stop”, explains throughout his interrogation the previous Minister of the Budget, lately appointed president of the PMU. His acquittal at first occasion in September was the topic of an attraction by the prosecution.

With AFP