Three inmates at Paris’s La Santé Prison have been arrested for allegedly making death threats against former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is currently serving a five-year prison sentence for corruption and money laundering linked to the late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
The arrests followed the emergence of a video on social media showing prisoners shouting threats at Sarkozy.
“Three inmates at the Santé prison were taken into custody following threats being made upon the arrival of Nicolas Sarkozy,” a Paris prosecutor’s office spokesman confirmed on Thursday.
“An administrative search was carried out of their cells by the prison administration, during which two phones were seized,” the spokesman added, noting that a formal investigation had been opened into “death threats.”
The video captured one inmate shouting, “We know everything, Sarko… we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.”
Following the incident, two police officers from the VIP Protection Service (SDLP) were assigned to the cell next to Sarkozy’s, where they will be stationed 24 hours a day to ensure his safety. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reportedly ordered the protective measure after the threats circulated online.
The threats, which quickly spread on social media, drew public outrage. Far-right politician Marine Le Pen commented on the situation, writing, “I have no doubt that some must be delighted by this situation. But I want to believe that millions of French people feel, like me, disgust.”
Sarkozy, 70, was incarcerated on Tuesday after his conviction for conspiring to accept illegal cash from Gaddafi to fund his 2007 presidential campaign. He is the first French head of state to serve prison time since Marshal Philippe Pétain, the World War II-era leader convicted of collaborating with the Nazis.
According to prison officials, Sarkozy is being held in solitary confinement in a 29-square-foot cell equipped with a bed, desk, shower, and TV. He reportedly spends most of his time alone and is allowed one solitary walk a day.
His wife, Carla Bruni, has already visited him in prison. Lawyers described Sarkozy’s nights as “frightening,” and his legal team has appealed the court’s decision to imprison him.
Sarkozy’s lawyer, Christophe Ingrain, said,
“He is taking it upon himself to ensure that no one can feel the indignation and anger he feels at suffering this injustice. Humanly, this is an extremely difficult ordeal.”
Sarkozy has also been convicted in two previous corruption cases, one involving attempted bribery of a judge and another tied to illicit campaign financing, and faces additional criminal inquiries.
Meanwhile, Carla Bruni is under investigation for her alleged role in “Operation Save Sarko,” a £4 million scheme aimed at preventing her husband’s imprisonment. She faces charges of witness tampering in an organized gang, which carry a potential 10-year prison sentence. Both she and Sarkozy deny any wrongdoing.
