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Nicolas Sarkozy plans a personal account in the coming weeks named A Prisoner’s Diary, chronicling his time spent behind bars.

This news was made less than two weeks after the ex-leader gained freedom as his appeal proceeds his conviction on charges of unlawful coordination connected to efforts to acquire presidential race money linked to the government of the late Libyan dictator.

Time in Custody: Personal Reflections

“In prison one sees little, and activities are scarce,” he writes in a preview, indicating the book will focus on his musings from isolation rather than extensive analysis on the strained and struggling correctional facilities in the country.

“Quiet is absent, not present in La Santé, where there is a lot to hear,” he states. “The noise unfortunately never stops. But, just like the desert, inner life grows stronger while incarcerated.”

Court Appearance: Sharing the Struggle

While appealing for release, the former leader had appeared by video link from his cell, describing his time inside as draining. He stated to the judge: “I want to pay tribute to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane, easing this ordeal manageable – because it is a nightmare.”

“I never imagined at this stage of life, I would end up incarcerated. It’s a trial that has been imposed on me. It’s challenging, I acknowledge, it’s very hard. It leaves a mark all who experience it due to its intensity.”

First of Its Kind

The former president, who served as France’s president for a five-year term, became the inaugural past president from the EU and the initial post-WWII figure of France to be incarcerated.

Ahead of his incarceration he declared he planned to utilize the opportunity for authoring a memoir.

Reading Material

It is not certain whether he had time to read and critique the texts he took into prison: a two-volume biography of Jesus plus the novel by Dumas the famous story, in which an innocent man ends up incarcerated later flees to exact retribution.

Daily Reality

He was held in isolation for his own security in a space roughly 100 square feet including private facilities at the correctional facility in Paris. Guards were stationed in a neighbouring cell.

Sources mentioned that he consumed just yogurt while inside because he feared any food could have been tampered with. He had facilities to cook for himself yet he declined, according to reports. It is uncertain if the memoir includes his dietary choices.

Defense Viewpoint

Sarkozy’s lawyer, who saw him regularly every day while he was in prison, told the release hearing his safety would improve out of prison compared to inside. “He has faced menacing messages, has heard screaming after dark and the urgent intervention in a neighbouring cell during an inmate’s self-injury.”

Charges and Sentence

He entered custody on 21 October when a Paris court gave him a half-decade term for illegal collaboration over a scheme to obtain political donations for his presidential bid.

He maintains his innocence and is contesting the ruling, and a fresh trial is scheduled for next spring.