JUST IN: Ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy Freed From Prison, Pending Appeal

(Sipa via AP Images)

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy will be freed from Paris’ La Santé prison later on Monday, just three weeks after a judge ordered him to begin serving his sentence.

Sarkozy was imprisoned after his conviction for permitting “close collaborators” and “unofficial intermediaries” to approach dictator Muammar Gaddafi’s regime to “to obtain or try to obtain financial support in Libya for the purpose of securing campaign financing” for his 2007 presidential bid. He was sentenced to five years.

The Court of Appeal granted his request for release on Monday, imposing tight restrictions while his appeal proceeds. It follows the support of prosecutors, who told the court they were satisfied his “track record of appearing in court and cooperating with police investigations” justified easing his detention conditions.

Sarkozy insisted he will not attempt to leave France or shirk the retrial, which is now expected in March.

“Fleeing justice would mean admitting,” he told judges during a hearing. “I’ll never admit what I have not done.”

He is barred from contacting any other defendants and a list of individuals tied to the sprawling Libya financing case, including the late dictator’s son Saif Gaddafi. He is also barred from speaking with members of his ministerial team and Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin, who visited him in-person while in prison.

The 70-year-old, who served one term as president between 2007 and 2012, has repeatedly denied wrongdoing.

Sarkozy appeared via video link at the hearing, wearing the same blue blazer and vest he wore on the day he was taken into custody, and told the court his three weeks in La Santé had been a “nightmare” and a “grueling” experience.

His lawyer said the former president had been woken at night by “screams” and faced death threats.