Nicolas Sarkozy Released Pending Appeal in Controversial Case

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was freed from jail after a court in Paris allowed his release while he appeals a conviction for conspiracy to raise funds from Libya. The court ruled there was no flight risk, and Sarkozy will face judicial supervision during his appeal process.

In a significant legal development, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was released from jail on Monday after a Paris court ruled he could remain free while appealing his conviction. Sarkozy had been incarcerated since October 21 due to his involvement in criminal conspiracy to secure funds from Libya for his 2007 campaign.

Sarkozy, who served as President from 2007 to 2012, expressed the personal difficulty of his time in jail. Emphasizing his commitment to continue the legal battle, he stated via X that he would focus on challenging the conviction and that the 'end of the story remains to be written.'

The court decided that Sarkozy posed no flight risk, though he remains under judicial supervision, which restricts him from leaving France and communicating with justice ministry officials. While his appeals process unfolds, the public prosecutor had endorsed Sarkozy's release based on these criteria.

(With inputs from agencies.)