France's High Court Upholds Sarkozy's Three-Year Corruption Sentence; One Year Under Electronic Monitoring

Dec 18, 2024, 01:12 PM

France's highest court, the Cour de Cassation, has definitively upheld the conviction of former President Nicolas Sarkozy for corruption and influence peddling in the 'wiretapping affair,' also known as the 'Affaire Bismuth.' In a historic ruling announced on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, at 2 p.m., Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison, with one year to be served under electronic monitoring at home, making him the first former French head of state to receive a custodial sentence. The court rejected all appeals filed by Sarkozy and his co-defendants, lawyer Thierry Herzog and magistrate Gilbert Azibert, confirming their guilt on charges of corruption, influence peddling, and violation of professional secrecy. As a result, Sarkozy is no longer presumed innocent in this case, and his sentencing includes three years of ineligibility from public office. His legal team has indicated an intention to appeal to the European Court of Human Rights.