PARIS, September 25. /TASS/. Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who served from 2007 to 2012, announced that he will appeal the Paris court ruling sentencing him to five years in prison for allegedly accepting Libyan funding for his 2007 election campaign.

"I will, of course, appeal the decision," Sarkozy told reporters, stressing that he considers himself innocent and would go to prison "with his head held high."

He denounced the verdict as "scandalous," noting that the justice system "spent ten years and millions of euros investigating Libyan financing, which, as the court acknowledged, was not detected." Sarkozy also emphasized that the judges themselves declared the Mediapart document – the basis for the case – to be a forgery.

"During the trial, no evidence of financing or corruption was found. Thus, I am convicted for allegedly failing to prevent two of my employees from illegally financing my campaign," he said.

The former head of state added that his opponents, who pushed for his imprisonment, sought to humiliate him. "But in fact, they humiliated France," Sarkozy concluded.