Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy reported to La Santé prison in Paris this October 21 to begin serving a five-year sentence, becoming the first leader of modern France to be jailed.
He was sentenced last month for criminal conspiracy over his involvement in a scheme that allegedly used Libyan funds to finance his 2007 presidential campaign in exchange for diplomatic favors.
Despite planning to appeal the sentence, in the meantime Sarkozy is expected to be held either in solitary confinement or in the prison’s designated “VIP wing.”
Sarkozy is not alone. From presidents to prime ministers, numerous political figures have faced legal troubles, corruption charges, or criminal convictions, showing that even those in the highest positions of power are not above the law.
Click on to find out which political leaders from around the world have spent time behind bars.