What Awaits Sarkozy in the La Santé Facility and What Belongings Did He Bring?
Perhaps France’s most fabled correctional facility, La Santé – where former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five-year jail term for illegal conspiracy to raise campaign funds from Libya – stands as the only remaining prison within the French capital's boundaries.
Located in the south part of Montparnasse neighborhood of the city, it first opened in the year 1867 and was the scene of no fewer than 40 capital punishments, the last in 1972. Partly closed for refurbishment in 2014, the prison reopened half a decade later and accommodates more than 1,100 detainees.
Famous past prisoners include poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the public servant and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the tycoon and politician Bernard Tapie, the 70s terrorist Carlos the Jackal, and model agent Jean-Luc Brunel.
VIP Quarters for Prominent Inmates
Notable or at-risk inmates are typically placed in the prison's QB4 section for “individuals at risk” – the often called “VIP quarters” – in single cells, rather than the typical three-inmate rooms, and kept alone during yard time for safety concerns.
Located on the ground floor, the unit has 19 identical units and a private exercise yard so prisoners are not obliged to mingle with fellow inmates – while they are still subject to shouts, taunts and cellphone pictures from neighboring units.
Mainly for that reason, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the isolation ward, which is in a separate wing. Actually, the environment are very similar as in the QB4 ward: the former president will be solitary in his room and accompanied by a prison officer whenever he goes out.
“The aim is to avoid any incidents whatsoever, so we must block him from meeting fellow detainees,” a prison source commented. “The easiest and most effective method is to place Nicolas Sarkozy straight to isolation.”
Living Quarters
Both solitary and protected cells are identical to those in other parts in the prison, roughly about 10 square meters, with window coverings intended to restrict interaction, a bed, a writing table, a shower unit, WC, and fixed-line phone with pre-recorded numbers.
Sarkozy is provided with regular meals but will additionally have the ability to the canteen, where he can purchase groceries to make his own meals, as well as to a private recreation area, a gym and the library. He can rent a cooling unit for seven euros fifty a month and a television set for €14.15.
Restricted Visits
In addition to three allowed visits a week, he will mainly be on his own – a privilege in La Santé, which in spite of its modernization is running at approximately double its designed capacity of 657 prisoners. The country's correctional facilities are the third most packed in the EU bloc.
Prison Supplies
Sarkozy, who has consistently maintained his non-guilt, has said he will be taking with him a life story of Jesus and a version of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is sentenced to prison but escapes to seek vengeance.
Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was also bringing hearing protection because prison can be noisy at during the night, and a few jumpers, because units can be cold. Sarkozy has said he is fearless of serving time in prison and intends to make use of the period to author a manuscript.
Uncertain Duration
It remains uncertain, nevertheless, how long he will in fact be housed in La Santé: his lawyers have already filed for his early release, and an judge on appeal will need to demonstrate a chance of escaping, reoffending or interfering with witnesses to justify his further imprisonment.
French legal experts have suggested he may be freed within a month.