🔗 Share this article

Possibly the nation's most notorious correctional facility, the La Santé prison – where ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five-year incarceration for criminal conspiracy to raise political donations from Libya – is the last remaining prison within the city of Paris.

Found in the southern Montparnasse district of the capital, it first opened in the year 1867 and hosted of at least 40 executions, the last in 1972. Partially closed for upgrades in 2014, the facility reopened in 2019 and houses in excess of 1,100 prisoners.

Well-known former prisoners comprise the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the financial trader Jérôme Kerviel, the public servant and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the businessman and political figure Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for Notable Prisoners

Notable or vulnerable detainees are generally accommodated in the jail’s QB4 ward for “protected persons” – the often called “VIP section” – in single cells, rather than the typical three-inmate units, and kept alone during exercise periods for protection purposes.

Situated on the initial level, the section has 19 identical units and a reserved outdoor space so detainees are not obliged to mingle with fellow inmates – although they remain vulnerable to whistles, jeers and cellphone pictures from neighboring units.

Mostly for that reason, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the isolation ward, which is in a separate wing. In reality, circumstances are very similar as in the QB4 ward: the former president will be by himself in his room and escorted by a guard each time he leaves it.

“The goal is to avert any issues at all, so we have to block him from meeting any inmates,” a source within the facility commented. “The simplest and most effective solution is to send Nicolas Sarkozy directly to segregation.”

Cell Conditions

Each of the solitary and protected units are the same to those elsewhere in the jail, roughly approximately 10 sq metres, with window coverings designed to restrict interaction, a bed, a compact desk, a shower unit, WC, and stationary phone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy will receive typical prison food but will additionally have the ability to the prison store, where he can acquire food to cook for himself, as well as to a private recreation area, a gym and the library. He can pay for a cooling unit for 7.50 euros a per month and a television for fourteen euros fifteen.

Restricted Visits

Besides three allowed visits a per week, he will primarily be by himself – an advantage in La Santé, which in spite of its recent upgrades is running at approximately double its planned occupancy of 657 detainees. The country's prisons are the third most packed in the EU bloc.

Prison Supplies

Sarkozy, who has steadfastly asserted his non-guilt, has said he will be taking with him a biography of Jesus Christ and a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an innocent man is condemned to prison but breaks out to take revenge.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was also taking hearing protection because the jail can be loud at night, and multiple sweaters, because cells can be cool. Sarkozy has said he is unafraid of spending time in jail and plans to make use of the period to compose a publication.

Release Prospects

The duration is unknown, however, how long he will actually remain in the prison: his legal team have already filed for his conditional release, and an appeals judge will must establish a risk of absconding, reoffending or influencing testimony to justify his ongoing incarceration.

France's legal experts have indicated he may be freed in less than a month.