Former French president endures hostile prison welcome

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy faced a turbulent first night in custody at La Santé, the high-security prison in Paris, following his incarceration on October 21. Sarkozy, sentenced to five years for conspiring to accept laundered funds from the late Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, was reportedly mocked by inmates and subjected to threatening behavior.

Videos circulated online capturing prisoners taunting the former president with chants of “Little Nikola” — a jibe at his stature, as Sarkozy stands just under 5ft 5in. One clip shows a fellow inmate filming himself laughing while shouting, “Call Sarko!” and “Show us your head!” Prisoners are said to have deliberately tried to keep Sarkozy awake throughout the night in his cell, which overlooks the prison yard, Daily Mail reports.

In response to the escalating tensions, two police officers have been assigned to a cell adjacent to Sarkozy’s, providing round-the-clock protection. France’s Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez explained: “It’s a decision by the Minister of the Interior. I’m responsible for the security of high-ranking officials... The former President of the Republic has a protection system in place given his status and the threats he faces.”

Senior prison guards expressed frustration over the added security, emphasizing their professionalism: “Mr Sarkozy is in his own cell, where he is perfectly safe. He sleeps, eats and showers there, and only goes out for an hour a day to walk.”

Further videos revealed threats linked to the broader scandal. An inmate warned, “We know everything, Sarko… we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.” The threats also invoked Ziad Takieddine, a Lebanese arms dealer connected to the Gaddafi case who died mysteriously earlier this year.

Sarkozy’s conservative party leader, Éric Ciotti, underscored the gravity of the threats: “It is completely legitimate that the security of a former President of the Republic be ensured everywhere... His security must be guaranteed.” Sarkozy’s wife, Carla Bruni, spoke to him by phone, describing his first night as “frightening.”

Despite the ordeal, Sarkozy remains resolute. His lawyer Jean-Michel Darrois shared, “He is the man everyone knows – strong, dynamic, a fighter,” noting the former president brought with him The Count of Monte Cristo and The Life of Jesus Christ, symbolizing themes of revenge and resurrection.

By Vafa Guliyeva