What to Expect Sarkozy in the La Santé Facility and What Personal Items Did He Bring?
Maybe the nation's most notorious prison, La Santé – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five year prison sentence for illegal conspiracy to raise campaign funds from Libya – remains the sole surviving prison within the Paris city limits.
Situated in the southern Montparnasse district of the capital, it opened in the year 1867 and was the site of no fewer than 40 executions, the most recent in 1972. Partially shut down for refurbishment in 2014, the prison reopened five years later and houses in excess of 1,100 inmates.
Well-known former inmates include poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the unauthorized trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and political figure Bernard Tapie, the 70s terrorist Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.
Special Treatment for Notable Prisoners
Notable or endangered prisoners are usually placed in the prison's QB4 section for “vulnerable people” – the so-called “premium block” – in single cells, not the typical triple-occupancy cells, and kept alone during outdoor activities for security reasons.
Located on the ground floor, the section has nineteen similar rooms and a dedicated exercise yard so prisoners are not required to mix with other detainees – even though they continue to be exposed to shouts, insults and smartphone photos from neighboring units.
Primarily for that reason, Sarkozy will reportedly be held in the isolation ward, which is in a separate wing. In reality, the environment are largely identical as in the QB4 ward: the ex-president will be solitary in his unit and accompanied by a prison officer whenever he leaves it.
“The goal is to prevent any problems whatsoever, so we need to block him from encountering fellow detainees,” a prison source commented. “The simplest and most effective solution is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy straight to isolation.”
Cell Conditions
Each of the solitary and VIP units are the same to those in other parts in the institution, measuring approximately 10 sq metres, with window blinds designed to reduce communication, a bed, a compact desk, a shower, toilet, and landline telephone with pre-set numbers.
Sarkozy will be served typical prison food but will additionally have access to the commissary, where he can acquire items to cook for himself, as well as to a individual recreation area, a gym and the prison library. He can lease a fridge for 7.50 euros a per month and a TV for fourteen euros fifteen.
Controlled Interactions
In addition to three allowed visits a week, he will primarily be alone – an advantage in the facility, which in spite of its modernization is functioning at roughly twice its planned occupancy of 657 prisoners. France’s jails are the third most congested in the EU bloc.
Prison Supplies
Sarkozy, who has steadfastly protested his non-guilt, has said he will be taking with him a life story of Jesus Christ and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is condemned to jail but flees to take revenge.
Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, said he was additionally taking earplugs because prison can be disruptive at night, and multiple sweaters, because cells can be chilly. Sarkozy has commented he is unafraid of serving time in prison and plans to make use of the period to compose a publication.
Possible Early Release
It remains uncertain, however, the length of time he will in fact stay in the prison: his attorneys have lodged for his conditional release, and an judge on appeal will must establish a potential of escaping, further crimes or interfering with witnesses to warrant his further imprisonment.
France's law specialists have suggested he may be freed in less than a month.
