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Nicolas Sarkozy plans a personal account in the coming weeks titled A Prisoner’s Diary, which recounts his experience spent in jail.

The announcement was made less than two weeks following the ex-leader gained freedom while he contests his conviction related to criminal conspiracy regarding a scheme to acquire presidential race money linked to the regime of former Libyan leader.

Prison Experience: Personal Reflections

“Behind bars one sees little, and nothing to do,” he writes in one passage, indicating the book centers around his thoughts while in seclusion instead of extensive analysis on the packed and crisis-hit correctional facilities in the country.

“Silence escapes me, which doesn’t exist in that facility, where one hears endless commotion,” he adds. “The racket unfortunately never stops. Yet, similar to barren lands, personal reflection is fortified behind bars.”

Court Appearance: Sharing the Struggle

At his release request hearing, Sarkozy had appeared via screen from his cell, depicting prison life as exhausting. He expressed in court: “I want to pay tribute the correctional officers, displaying remarkable compassion, easing this difficult experience tolerable – because it is a nightmare.”

“It never crossed my mind that in my seventies, I’d find myself behind bars. It’s an ordeal forced upon me. I admit it’s difficult, it’s very hard. It affects one on any prisoner because it’s gruelling.”

First of Its Kind

The former president, who served as France’s president between 2007 and 2012, became the inaugural former head in the European Union and the first leader since WWII of France to be incarcerated.

Ahead of his incarceration he mentioned he would use his time to compose an account.

Books in Prison

Unconfirmed is if he found the opportunity to go through the three books he had in his cell: a two-volume biography of Jesus plus the novel by Dumas the classic tale, a plot where a wrongfully accused individual is sentenced to jail but escapes to seek vengeance.

Prison Conditions

The former leader was placed in solitary confinement for his own security in a cell approximately nine square meters including private facilities at La Santé prison in Paris. Security personnel stayed in the next cell.

Sources mentioned that he had eaten solely dairy snacks while inside because he feared meals provided could have been tampered with. He had facilities to prepare his own meals yet he declined, according to reports. It is uncertain if he will detail meals during incarceration.

Lawyer’s Statements

His attorney, Christophe Ingrain each day throughout the jail term, told the release hearing he would be safer outside jail compared to inside. “He received death threats, has heard screaming at night plus rapid actions in an adjacent room when a prisoner self-harmed.”

Case Background

Sarkozy went to prison last month following a French court gave him five years in prison on conspiracy charges over a scheme to acquire political donations during his election campaign.

He disputes the charges challenging the decision, and another court case planned for the coming spring.