Sarkozy Denies Charges at Libya Funding Appeal Trial

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy insisted on Wednesday that he did not commit any of the acts he is accused of, as he appeared at an appeal trial over charges of seeking Libyan financing for his 2007 election campaign.

“I appealed because I did not commit any of the acts for which I was convicted. I will muster all the strength I have to defend this truth, which is deeply rooted within me,” Sarkozy told the court on the third day of proceedings.

Sarkozy Denies Charges at Libya Funding Appeal Trial — France’s former president Nicolas Sarkozy (C) leaves the courthouse with the chairman of Forward Global in France, Guillaume Didier, during a break in his appeal trial over charges that he sought Libyan financing for his 2007 election, at the Paris Appeal Court in the Palais de Justice in Paris. Credit: AFP.

The 71-year-old, who was president from 2007 to 2012, became modern France’s first ex-president to serve jail time last year after a lower court convicted him on the same charges, sentencing him to five years in prison, of which he served 20 days before being released pending appeal.

Under France’s legal system, the appeal trial functions as a retrial, re-examining all evidence and testimony, with Sarkozy again presumed innocent.

The trial is scheduled to run until June 3, with a verdict expected in the fall. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years behind bars.

Sarkozy has denied any wrongdoing throughout and has faced multiple legal cases since leaving office, including two definitive convictions in separate matters.