ISTANBUL

Approving his lawyers’ request pending an appeal, a French court ordered the release of former President Nicolas Sarkozy from prison on Monday, 20 days after he entered La Sante prison on Oct. 21.

"The court declares the application for release admissible and places you under judicial supervision," said the president of the Paris Court of Appeal, according to broadcaster BFMTV.

During his release, the court also prohibited Sarkozy from contacting Gerald Darmanin, the justice minister.

Sarkozy is also banned from leaving French territory as the court stressed that “the risk of pressure or collusion” of his co-defendants “cannot be completely ruled out,” especially a number of key witnesses scattered around the world.

After the court's decision to accept Sarkozy’s release, one of his lawyers, Christophe Ingrain, told reporters that "the next step" is an appeal trial in the case of Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign.

Citing his record of appearing in court and cooperating with police, prosecutors had backed his request for release under judicial supervision, with a ban on contact with the various defendants and witnesses in the Libyan case as the court considers his case.

Speaking to the court via video on Monday, Sarkozy called his less than weeks behind bars a “nightmare” and a “grueling” experience.

In September, the former French president was sentenced to five years in prison for conspiracy in a case involving Libyan financing of his 2007 election campaign.

The court found Sarkozy, who denied all wrongdoing, guilty of criminal conspiracy but cleared him of passive corruption and other illegal financing charges.

After he entered prison, Sarkozy’s lawyers filed a request for his release.

Sarkozy served one term as French president from 2007 to 2012.