Sarkozy in court: alleged financing of Libya campaign

Sarkozy in court: alleged financing of Libya campaign

On Monday, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy took place. He is accused of millions of euros to Illegal means from Libya, the former regime of Moammar Gadhafi, for his to have received successful presidential election campaign in 2007.

Sarkozy's relaxation in the courtroom

Before the negotiation started, Sarkozy had a relaxed manner and talked to lawyers and co -accused in the courtroom. He always has the allegations rejected .

complaints and allegations against Sarkozy

The conservative ex-president is accused of "displacement of public money, passive corruption, illegal campaign financing and criminal conspiracy to inspect a crime", as the financial prosecutor said. The process extends over three months and could continue to undermine the public that has already been cracked in French politics.

The entanglements around the Libyan

Investigators accuse Sarkozy of having made a corrupt agreement with the Libyan government. The case is characterized by unclear entanglements that apparently include Libyan spies, a convicted terrorist, arms dealer and the claims that Gadhafi supported Sarkozy's election campaign with millions of euros that were brought to Paris in suitcases.

the defense of Sarkozy

Sarkozy's lawyer described the allegations as invented and emphasized that there was no Libyan financing of the election campaign. "After ten years of investigation, with an unprecedented use of resources, listening measures and judges that travel abroad, there is - obviously - no proof of a financing, no transfer, no payment, not even an amount for alleged financing," said lawyer Christophe Ingrain.

consequences for conviction

Sarkozy should be found guilty, he threatens up to 10 years in prison and a fine of 375,000 euros (around $ 386,000).

legal disputes and previous convictions

In recent years, Sarkozy was faced with numerous legal disputes. In December, the Supreme Court of France Objection of advantages in a judge. Instead of a prison sentence, he was imposed for a year for a year - a novelty for a former French head of state.

Financial prosecutors indicate that Sarkozy negotiated an agreement with Gadhafi in 2005, at that time Minister of the Interior, to receive campaign financing in exchange for the government at the international level. Gadhafi was fell and killed .

new evidence appeared

In 2012, the French investigative website MediaPart published a document that is said to be from the Libyan secret services and mentioned a deal by Gadhafi, to finance Sarkozy's presidential election campaign with millions of euros. Sarkozy rejected the document as fake.

long way to the court hearing

The investigators initiated an investigation in 2013. The confused case, which is associated with nine other legal proceedings and requested cooperation with more than 21 countries for the investigator, to track down the alleged funding via various middlemen and companies, reach the court later.

other accused

Among the 12 other defendants in the procedure are Sarkozy's former confidante Claude Gueant, the former Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux and his then head of the Eric Woerth campaign financing - all three were present in the courtroom on Monday.

votes of the anti-corruption groups

The anti-corruption organizations Sherpa, Anticor and Transparency International explained in a joint statement: "This alleged illegal financing illustrates the mechanisms of cross-border corruption, which deprives the civilian population of essential public resources by branching money on private and political interests."