PARIS: France’s top court said Wednesday it will rule in November on embattled former president Nicolas Sarkozy’s final appeal over illegal campaign financing in 2012, in a case that could cement his second criminal conviction.
Sarkozy, who remains an influential figure on the right, has been embroiled in legal problems since losing the 2012 presidential election.
Last month, Sarkozy was sentenced to five years in prison over a scheme for late Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi to fund his 2007 presidential run. He will be the first French postwar leader to serve jail time.
Sarkozy has denied the charges and appealed that conviction, though under French law his sentence will be implemented even as his appeal plays out. He will learn on Monday when his prison term will begin.
Separately, the right-wing politician in 2021 received a one-year jail sentence in the so-called “Bygmalion affair” for the financing of his 2012 presidential campaign.
An appeals court in 2024 confirmed the conviction but lightened his sentence to six months with another six months suspended. He has appealed that ruling.
In November, Sarkozy will learn if his conviction is overturned or confirmed.
On Wednesday, the country’s highest appeals court examined his final appeal in the case.
If the Court of Cassation upholds Sarkozy’s conviction in its ruling expected on November 26 — as demanded by the prosecutor’s office at the hearing Wednesday — he will serve a six-month term with an electronic bracelet.
The former head of state was sentenced on charges that his right-wing party worked with a public relations firm, Bygmalion, to hide the true cost of his 2012 re-election bid.
Prosecutors said Sarkozy spent nearly 43 million euros on his 2012 campaign, almost double the permitted amount of 22.5 million euros.
Sarkozy has accused Bygmalion of having enriched itself behind his back and dismissed the allegations against him as “lies.”
His lawyers on Wednesday reiterated that stance.
“Nothing was materially established by the court of appeal regarding active involvement of President Sarkozy” in the overspending of campaign accounts, said one of Sarkozy’s lawyers, Emmanuel Piwnica.
Sarkozy’s latest hearing comes at a sensitive moment for France, with the country thrown into uncertainty by the shock resignation of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu after less than a month in power.
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French court sets November ruling in Sarkozy campaign finance appeal
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French court sets November ruling in Sarkozy campaign finance appeal
- Sarkozy has been embroiled in legal problems since losing the 2012 presidential election
- In November, Sarkozy will learn if his conviction is overturned or confirmed
Hong Kong activist’s father convicted under national security over insurance policy
- Defense lawyer asks the judge to consider a 14-day prison term
- Kwok Yin-sang faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court found the father of a wanted activist guilty of a national security violation on Wednesday after he tried to end her insurance policy and withdraw the funds, drawing international criticism for the targeting of relatives of pro-democracy campaigners.
Kwok Yin-sang, 69, is the first person to be charged under a Hong Kong law known as Article 23 that expands on a Beijing-imposed national security law, for “attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources” belonging to an absconder.
His daughter, Anna Kwok, helps lead the Washington-based advocacy group Hong Kong Democracy Council, and is one of 34 overseas activists wanted by Hong Kong national security police. She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and police have offered a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,400) for her arrest.
Kwok Yin-sang was accused of trying to withdraw funds totaling HK$88,609 ($11,342) from an insurance policy which he bought for her when she was almost two years old. He had pleaded not guilty and did not testify at the trial.
Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi said since Anna Kwok is a fugitive, directly or indirectly handling her insurance policy is illegal.
A sentence will be handed down on Feb 26. Kwok Yin-sang faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years, but the sentencing is capped at two years at the magistrate court level.
During arguments on sentencing, defense lawyer Steven Kwan asked the judge to consider a 14-day prison term, as Kwok Yin-sang only intended to get back the money back for himself but no evidence shows that it would go to his daughter.
According to the prosecution, when Kwok was arrested, he said under police caution: “I know my daughter is wanted by the Security Bureau. I was the one paying for her insurance policy. Since she’s no longer in Hong Kong, I just cut it.”
Kwok Yin-sang’s bail was revoked after the conviction and he appeared calm and waved to his family as he was taken back into custody.
During the closing submission, defense lawyer Kwan argued that section 89 and 90 of Article 23 should not apply in a case where a person was simply handling an insurance policy he had purchased a long time ago for his children.
“This … is a form of prosecution based on family ties,” Kwan said.
Anna Kwok’s brother was also arrested for the same crime and is currently on bail.
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said punishing a father for his daughter’s peaceful activism is “an alarming act of collective punishment that has no place under international human rights law.”
Kwok Yin-sang, 69, is the first person to be charged under a Hong Kong law known as Article 23 that expands on a Beijing-imposed national security law, for “attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources” belonging to an absconder.
His daughter, Anna Kwok, helps lead the Washington-based advocacy group Hong Kong Democracy Council, and is one of 34 overseas activists wanted by Hong Kong national security police. She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and police have offered a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,400) for her arrest.
Kwok Yin-sang was accused of trying to withdraw funds totaling HK$88,609 ($11,342) from an insurance policy which he bought for her when she was almost two years old. He had pleaded not guilty and did not testify at the trial.
Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi said since Anna Kwok is a fugitive, directly or indirectly handling her insurance policy is illegal.
A sentence will be handed down on Feb 26. Kwok Yin-sang faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years, but the sentencing is capped at two years at the magistrate court level.
During arguments on sentencing, defense lawyer Steven Kwan asked the judge to consider a 14-day prison term, as Kwok Yin-sang only intended to get back the money back for himself but no evidence shows that it would go to his daughter.
According to the prosecution, when Kwok was arrested, he said under police caution: “I know my daughter is wanted by the Security Bureau. I was the one paying for her insurance policy. Since she’s no longer in Hong Kong, I just cut it.”
Kwok Yin-sang’s bail was revoked after the conviction and he appeared calm and waved to his family as he was taken back into custody.
During the closing submission, defense lawyer Kwan argued that section 89 and 90 of Article 23 should not apply in a case where a person was simply handling an insurance policy he had purchased a long time ago for his children.
“This … is a form of prosecution based on family ties,” Kwan said.
Anna Kwok’s brother was also arrested for the same crime and is currently on bail.
Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said punishing a father for his daughter’s peaceful activism is “an alarming act of collective punishment that has no place under international human rights law.”
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