PARIS (Reuters) -Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was handed a five-year prison sentence on Thursday after he was found guilty by a Paris court of criminally conspiracy in a trial over illegal Libyan campaign financing.
Here are some reactions:
FORMER PRESIDENT NICOLAS SARKOZY:
“This verdict is of extreme gravity for the rule of law. Hate has no limit … If they absolutely want me to sleep in jail, I will sleep in jail, but with my head held high … I am innocent. This injustice is a scandal… I will appeal; I will fight until my last breath.”
VINCENT BRENGARTH, LAWYER FOR PLAINTIFF ASSOCIATION SHERPA:
“This is the first time that a former president of the republic will find himself behind bars. It paints a deplorable picture, and no one can rejoice at the prospect of a former president ending up in prison. But at the same time, it also confirms that we have an independent judiciary that knows how to show courage and authority, because it was not an easy decision to make, especially since attempts were made to discredit the case by claiming that it was empty.”
CHRISTOPHE INGRAIN, SARKOZY’S LAWYER:
“He was convicted on very strange grounds, which are in fact a fabrication … The reason he was convicted is because he is supposedly accused of allowing his colleagues, Brice Hortefeux and Claude Gueant, to consider financing from Libya.
“What is very difficult for us is that there is no evidence, only assumptions.”
LAURENT WAUQUIEZ, HEAD OF LES REPUBLICANS (LR) LAWMAKERS:
“Nicolas Sarkozy has always served France with passion and commitment. I would like to reiterate my support and gratitude to the statesman who has given so much to our country, and my friendship for the man himself.”
FAR-RIGHT LEADER MARINE LE PEN ON X:
“Going beyond former President Nicolas Sarkozy … the generalisation of provisional enforcement by certain courts represents a great danger in terms of the fundamental principles of our law, foremost among which is the presumption of innocence.”
(Reporting by Dominique Vidalon, Makini Brice, Benoit Van Overstaeten; Editing by Richard Lough)
