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The ex-president of France is preparing a book this autumn called Diary of a Prisoner, chronicling his experience served in custody.

The revelation was made shortly after the ex-leader was released while he contests the court ruling on charges of illegal collaboration in a case to obtain election campaign funds provided by the government of the late Libyan dictator.

Life Behind Bars: Solitary Musings

“Behind bars visibility is limited, and nothing to do,” he notes in one passage, indicating the memoir will focus on his reflections from seclusion rather than extensive analysis on the strained and struggling correctional facilities in the country.

“I forget silence, which doesn’t exist in La Santé, where one hears a lot to hear,” he states. “The racket unfortunately never stops. But, just like the desert, one’s inner world is fortified while incarcerated.”

Release Hearing: Recounting the Hardship

During his plea for freedom, he had appeared via screen from a room in prison, describing his time inside as draining. He had told the court: “I must acknowledge to all the prison staff, who are exceptionally humane, and who helped make this ordeal manageable – since it’s deeply troubling.”

“I didn’t expect that at 70 years of age, I would end up incarcerated. It’s a trial I must endure. I confess it’s hard, it’s very hard. It affects one all who experience it due to its intensity.”

Unprecedented Situation

The former president, the ex-head of state for a five-year term, became the inaugural former head from the EU and the first postwar leader from France to be incarcerated.

Ahead of his incarceration he had said he intended to spend the period for authoring a memoir.

Reading Material

It is not certain if he found the opportunity to read and critique the three books he took into prison: a two-volume biography of Jesus together with Dumas’s work the classic tale, in which a blameless person is sentenced to jail later flees to exact retribution.

Daily Reality

Sarkozy remained secluded for his own security in a space approximately nine square meters featuring a personal bathroom at La Santé prison in Paris. Two bodyguards stayed in a neighbouring cell.

Reports indicated that he had eaten just yogurt while inside because he feared meals provided might have been spat on. Although he had access for self-catering yet he declined, as per accounts. Not known is if the memoir includes meals during incarceration.

Legal Perspective

His attorney, who visited his client each day throughout the jail term, informed the court his safety would improve out of prison compared to inside. “He has faced threats against his life, listened to yells after dark and the urgent intervention in a neighbouring cell during an inmate’s self-injury.”

Charges and Sentence

He entered custody last month when the judiciary gave him a five-year sentence on conspiracy charges over a scheme to acquire campaign funds for his presidential bid.

He disputes the charges and has appealed against the verdict, with a new trial set for the coming spring.