Interestingly, French prosecutors also backed his request for release — but insisted it should come with strict judicial conditions to prevent any interference with witnesses or evidence.

Sarkozy was convicted on September 25 for criminal conspiracy linked to his 2007 presidential campaign. Although he was cleared of other allegations, including corruption and illegal campaign financing, Judge Nathalie Gavarino ruled that the severity of his actions warranted immediate imprisonment.

That ruling made Sarkozy the first modern French head of state to serve time behind bars. He began his sentence at La Santé Prison in Paris on October 21, before quickly filing for release pending appeal.

Prosecutor Damien Brunet told the court that releasing Sarkozy under close supervision would help ensure fairness while addressing concerns of collusion or obstruction.

Appearing via video link, Sarkozy described his three-week stay in prison as “gruelling” but thanked the prison staff for their professionalism. “It’s hard, very hard a nightmare,” he said.

Under French law, keeping a defendant detained before appeal is rare. Judges will consider whether Sarkozy poses any flight risk or could influence witnesses. If granted, his release may involve wearing an electronic tag, regular check-ins, or a financial deposit.

This is not Sarkozy’s first brush with the law. Last year, France’s top court upheld his corruption conviction in a separate case, which saw him serve a one-year sentence under electronic monitoring.

The former president continues to deny all wrongdoing, maintaining that the Libya case is part of a political plot against him. He also faces ongoing investigations into witness tampering and awaits a ruling on another illegal campaign financing case linked to his 2012 re-election bid.