Ex-French President Sarkozyʼs electronic bracelet removed

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, convicted in a corruption case, has been released on parole. On Wednesday, May 14, he had the electronic bracelet he had been wearing since February 7 removed.

France Info was informed about this by the prosecutorʼs office.

Sarkozy filed a request for parole because he had turned 70 — under French law, this age may facilitate parole or humanitarian release, but is not an automatic basis.

At the same time, the former president is still subject to a number of obligations. In particular, he must obtain prior permission from the judge in charge of executing sentences for any trips lasting more than 15 days and for any trips abroad. He is also obliged to appear at the judgeʼs summons and accept visits from the penitentiary integration and probation service.

Whatʼs the matter?

In this case, Sarkozy was accused of attempting to obtain secret information from former Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation Gilbert Azibert in the case of illegal financing of his 2007 election campaign by co-owner of the French cosmetics company LʼOreal Liliane Bettencourt.

In exchange for information, Aziber was offered a "desirable position" in Monaco. The main evidence in the case was recordings of telephone conversations between Sarkozy and his lawyer.

In December, Sarkozy was finally found guilty of influence peddling and corruption and sentenced to three years in prison, two of which were suspended, and one year of house arrest with the wearing of an electronic bracelet.

• Nicolas Sarkozy was President of France from 2007 to 2012.
• In September 2021, Sarkozy was found guilty of fraud related to the financing of the 2012 election campaign. According to the investigation, Sarkozyʼs team spent €43 million on the election campaign — almost twice the allowed amount.

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