How were inmates able to film Nicolas Sarkozy's cell, given mobile phones are banned in prisons?

France's erstwhile President Nicolas Sarkozy began his five-year situation condemnation connected 21 October, aft being recovered blameworthy of colluding to money his 2007 statesmanlike run pinch illicit costs from Libya's erstwhile leader, nan precocious Muammar Gaddafi.

In 1 societal media video analysed by Euronews' verification team, The Cube, an inmate tin beryllium seen filming a video done nan bars of his situation cell.

Pointing crossed to nan different broadside of a situation courtyard, he says, "Sarko [Sarkozy] is conscionable location successful nan isolated section, each unsocial successful his cell."

The inmate goes connected to shout, "We cognize everything, we're going to avenge Gaddafi. We cognize everything, Sarko."

The Cube identified different video which was filmed and broadcast arsenic a unrecorded watercourse connected TikTok, which shows a situation courtyard astatine night.

The inmate filming nan video tin beryllium heard laughing earlier reference a remark posted connected nan livestream, stating, "call Sarko."

Responding to nan comment, nan inmate said: "Send a aid if you want maine to aftermath him up, did you deliberation it was free aliases what?", earlier shouting "Sarkozy, Nicolas!"

The inmates' petition for money successful speech for shouting Sarkozy's sanction aligns pinch nan truth that The Cube has detected abstracted instances of prisoners posting connected TikTok — successful instances unrelated to Sarkozy — and asking for donations.

The Paris prosecutor's agency confirmed that astatine slightest 1 of nan videos identified by The Cube was authentic, adding that 3 inmates were placed successful constabulary custody complete nan matter connected 22 October.

"An administrative hunt was carried retired by nan situation administration, during which 2 phones were seized," it said.

"The Paris nationalist prosecutor's agency has opened an investigation into decease threats, entrusted to nan 3rd territory of nan judicial police," added nan prosecutor's office. "The 3 inmates coming successful nan compartment person been taken into custody."

We sent some videos that we identified to a prisoners' authorities organisation acquainted pinch nan layout of nan situation de la Santé, who confirmed nan authenticity of nan footage.

"The inmates successful these videos are incarcerated successful cells located other nan isolation and disciplinary wards," François Korber, laminitis of French prisoners' authorities organisation Robins des Lois, who spent 25 years successful prison, told Euronews.

"You tin perceive them shouting to fto their friends cognize wherever Nicolas Sarkozy is. New prisoners often get 'welcomes' upon arrival, but erstwhile it's, let's say, a celebrated rapper who has conscionable arrived, they are usually much welcoming," added Korber.

Are mobile phones allowed successful prisons?

High-profile governmental figures successful France person besides shared immoderate of nan videos posted by nan inmates.

The far-right National Rally party's Marine Le Pen, who is presently appealing against an embezzlement conviction, reshared 1 video connected X, stating: "I person nary uncertainty that immoderate group must beryllium delighted by this situation. But I want to judge that millions of French group feel, for illustration me, disgust."

For galore others, it is not nan reception chap inmates handed to Sarkozy which has raised eyebrows, but nan beingness of mobile phones wrong prisons.

Upon its reopening successful 2019 aft 5 years of renewal works, nan situation de la Santé became France's first situation to beryllium equipped pinch landlines successful individual cells.

The constitution besides implemented a caller telephone scrambling system, aimed astatine cracking down connected nan forbidden usage of mobile phones wrong its walls.

However, contempt measures taken by nan situation de la Santé, arsenic good arsenic nan French government's general prohibition connected mobile phones wrong prisons, these devices are commonplace.

Some 53,000 phones were seized successful France's prisons successful 2023, while a further 40,000 were confiscated successful 2024, according to nan Ministry of Justice.

"There are aggregate reasons for this, but ultimately, location is corruption successful prisons, truthful phones get in, but prisons tin move a unsighted oculus to phones because it keeps things successful order," said Korber. "A batch of prisoners who person a telephone usage it to telephone their family. I cognize tons of inmates who person meal pinch their children successful nan evening complete a video call."

"Scrambling technologies are besides not that efficient, particularly successful densely populated areas. The situation de la Santé is correct successful nan bosom of Paris", he added. "There is besides nan truth that sometimes prisons get intel from tapping calls inmates make from their mobile phones."