🔗 Share this article Nicolas Sarkozy to Pen Jail Diary Detailing His 20 Days In Custody The ex-president of France plans a book next month named Diary of a Prisoner, chronicling his experience spent in jail. The revelation came just 11 days after Sarkozy was released as his appeal proceeds the guilty verdict on charges of criminal conspiracy in a case to obtain political financing provided by the government of former Libyan leader. Prison Experience: Solitary Musings “Behind bars one sees little, and activities are scarce,” he reflects in a preview, implying the memoir is more about his reflections from isolation as opposed to wider commentary of the strained and crisis-hit French prison system. “Silence escapes me, not present in that facility, where noise is a lot to hear,” he states. “The din unfortunately never stops. But, just like the desert, inner life grows stronger in prison.” Freedom Plea: Recounting the Hardship At his release request hearing, the former leader participated remotely from his cell, depicting prison life as gruelling. He stated to the judge: “I must acknowledge those working in the jail, showing great humanity, and who have made this difficult experience tolerable – because it is a nightmare.” “I didn’t expect that at 70 years of age, I would end up incarcerated. It’s an ordeal forced upon me. It’s challenging, I acknowledge, extremely tough. It affects one on any prisoner because it’s gruelling.” Historical Context Sarkozy, who served as France’s president for a five-year term, set a precedent as ex-leader from the EU and the first postwar leader in the French Republic to serve time in prison. Prior to imprisonment he declared he planned to utilize the opportunity for authoring a memoir. Reading Material Unconfirmed is if he found the opportunity to go through the texts he had in his cell: a life story of Jesus spanning two books plus the novel by Dumas the famous story, in which a wrongfully accused individual is sentenced to jail then breaks out to exact retribution. Daily Reality The former leader was held in solitary confinement for his own security in a room of about nine sq metres including private facilities at the correctional facility located in the capital. Security personnel were stationed in a neighbouring cell. Reports indicated that he consumed just yogurt while inside because he feared prison cuisine could have been tampered with. Options were available for self-catering but he turned this down, based on unnamed sources. It is uncertain if the memoir includes meals during incarceration. Defense Viewpoint His attorney, who saw him regularly every day during the incarceration, told the release hearing security would be better outside jail compared to inside. “There were menacing messages, listened to yells during nighttime and the urgent intervention next door as a detainee harmed themselves.” Case Background His incarceration began last month when a Paris court gave him a half-decade term for criminal conspiracy related to a plan to acquire political donations for his 2007 presidential race. He maintains his innocence and has appealed against the verdict, and another court case set for next spring.