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Nicolas Sarkozy is preparing a book in the coming weeks titled Diary of a Prisoner, which recounts his time served in custody.

The announcement emerged less than two weeks following the ex-leader was released as he appeals the court ruling related to unlawful coordination in a case to obtain election campaign funds from the leadership of Muammar Gaddafi.

Time in Custody: Solitary Musings

“In prison visibility is limited, with little to occupy time,” he writes in an extract, suggesting the account will focus on his thoughts from solitary confinement instead of a broader observation of the strained and struggling correctional facilities in the country.

“Silence escapes me, not present in La Santé, where there is constant sound,” he states. “The racket unfortunately never stops. However, akin to empty spaces, inner life is fortified while incarcerated.”

Court Appearance: Describing the Ordeal

While appealing for release, Sarkozy participated by video link from a room in prison, characterizing his incarceration as exhausting. He stated to the judge: “I want to pay tribute those working in the jail, showing great humanity, and who have made this nightmare bearable – because it is a nightmare.”

“It never crossed my mind that at 70 years of age, I’d find myself behind bars. It’s an ordeal that has been imposed on me. It’s challenging, I acknowledge, it’s very hard. It has an impact on any prisoner as it’s exhausting.”

Historical Context

The former president, who led the nation between 2007 and 2012, was the first past president in the European Union and the initial post-WWII figure in the French Republic to be incarcerated.

Ahead of his incarceration he declared he intended to spend the period to compose an account.

Cell Library

Unconfirmed is did he manage to review and analyze the three books he took into prison: a biography of Jesus in two parts together with Dumas’s work the classic tale, a plot where a blameless person is imprisoned later flees to take revenge.

Prison Conditions

Sarkozy was held in solitary confinement to protect him in a space approximately nine square meters including private facilities at La Santé prison located in the capital. Two bodyguards were stationed in an adjacent room.

It was stated his diet consisted only yoghurts while inside worried that prison cuisine might have been spat on. Options were available to cook for himself but refused this, based on unnamed sources. It is uncertain if he will detail his dietary choices.

Defense Viewpoint

Sarkozy’s lawyer, who saw him regularly each day while he was in prison, informed the court he would be safer released rather than in custody. “He received menacing messages, listened to yells at night and emergency responses in an adjacent room when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Charges and Sentence

He entered custody on 21 October following a Paris court gave him a five-year sentence for illegal collaboration over a scheme to secure campaign funds for his 2007 presidential race.

He maintains his innocence challenging the decision, and another court case set for early next year.