What awaits him now

Kiss show before Nicolas Sarkozy enters prison

One last kiss before going to prison: Sarkozy with his wife Carla Bruni(Bild: Benoit Tessier)

From the very top to the very bottom: France's former president Nicolas Sarkozy reported to prison on Tuesday after being sentenced to five years in prison in the Libya affair. A toilet without a lid, bolted-on furniture and few luxuries await him.

The 70-year-old arrived at La Santé prison in Paris early in the morning, as seen on TV footage. Sarkozy, who according to the indictment had accepted campaign funds from the then Libyan ruler Gaddafi, is now to be housed in the prison in a special wing for prisoners who require special protection. He may also be placed in an isolated area. He cannot expect preferential treatment.

Searched like every prisoner
Sarkozy arrived at the prison by car in the morning - before that he said an emotional goodbye to his family. Now he is being told why he is being detained. He is given the prison rules, his fingerprints are taken and his photo is taken.

He is given a prisoner ID card with a prisoner number. According to the BFMTV channel, Sarkozy is also searched like every new prisoner, for which he has to undress completely. He is then given toiletries, underwear, sheets and writing materials.

Bruni sends her husband another kiss.(Bild: AP/Thibault Camus)

A hug before entering prison(Bild: AFP/JULIEN DE ROSA)

Sarkozy will probably go to the "VIP area" of the prison. The complex in building QB4 contains 19 cells for prisoners under special surveillance. The prison does not refer to it as a VIP area, but as an "area for vulnerable persons". These are inmates whose safety could be at risk if they come into contact with other inmates, for example because they are prominent.

A cell in La Santé prison(Bild: AP/Francois Mori)

A cell in La Santé prison(Bild: AP/Francois Mori)

View of an entrance to La Santé prison(Bild: AP/Michel Euler)

Inside the prison(Bild: AP/Francois Mori)

A corridor in the prison(Bild: AP/Francois Mori)

It is not yet known in which part of the prison Sarkozy will be housed.(Bild: AP/Francois Mori)

The view of La Santé prison from above(Bild: AP/Thibault Camus)

VIP area is "no better"
 "The cells are no better and no worse than the other cells in the other buildings," a prison official told the BFMTV channel. "He will have a shower in his cell, a fridge and a television like all the other prisoners. There will be no preferential treatment." A former inmate from the wing told RTL: "There is a small bed that is 80 centimeters wide, I think only 70 centimeters, not very high and attached to the floor. There is a very small Ikea-style desk that is also attached to the floor." The cells are between nine and twelve square meters in size.

Like all other prisoners, he will have a shower in his cell, a fridge and a television.

Gefängnisbediensteter im Pariser Gefängnis La Santé

The equipment will also be identical in a specially isolated area, the cell measures eleven square meters, reports the newspaper "Le Parisien". If Sarkozy wishes, he can order toiletries and food from a special menu to avoid the inedible food from the prison canteen, according to the newspaper.

Only one hour of yard time per day
Most of the time, Sarkozy remains locked away in his cell. For one hour a day, he is accompanied by three guards and can also use a library and a fitness room, depending on availability, the newspaper reported. Sarkozy can communicate with his family via a telephone that is bugged. His family is allowed to visit him three times a week using a special entrance to the prison.

Takes Jesus biography with him
The former head of state told the newspaper "Le Figaro" that he wants to take two books with him to read: "The Count of Monte Cristo" in a two-volume edition and a biography of Jesus by Jean-Christian Petitfils. He also wants to write a book himself about his time behind bars; Sarkozy is already the author of several books.

Sarkozy's lawyers have applied for his early release, which is possible immediately after his imprisonment due to his age. "Even if his imprisonment is not justified by anything, he will probably stay for a month," said his lawyer Christophe Ingrain. This corresponds to the average processing time. "It's a sad day for him, for France and for our institutions. This imprisonment is a disgrace," added his colleague Jean-Michel Darrois.

Sarkozy was found guilty of being part of a criminal organization in the trial concerning alleged election campaign funds from Libya at the end of September. The court ordered provisional enforcement of the sentence. This means that the 70-year-old must go to prison, although he has appealed. Sarkozy had always denied the allegations.