Paris (AFP)
The Paris Court of Appeal granted Monday the first of two applications for the release of the mayor LR of Levallois-Perret Patrick Balkany, who remains however detained pending the review of a second appeal after his two convictions.
Neither the Baron des Hauts-de-Seine, who refused to be removed from his prison cell, nor his lawyers were present at the deliberations.
Imprisoned for six weeks after being sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion, the 71-year-old elected to demand his release and "a little humanity" to the judges, because of his "age" and his "state of health".
In order for him to be released from prison, judges must accept a second application for release, formed by the former MP after his second conviction, to five in prison this time, for aggravated money laundering. The hearing date for this other motion has not yet been set.
On Monday, the appeal court found Patrick Balkany's request for his release "justified", a decision that should set the tone for the second, as the two cases are closely linked.
The judges ordered the placement under judicial control of the elected, with the obligation not to leave the territory, to fix his residence in Giverny (Eure), not to go to Paris and the Paris region, to hand over his passport, "subject to" the payment of a deposit of 500,000 euros and "unless it is held for other reasons", which is the case of Patrick Balkany.
Advocate General Serge Roques - who had requested the imprisonment of Patrick Balkany during the trial in the Criminal Court - told him "strongly opposed" to the release of the mayor, "subject to medical expertise" .
On 22 October, the prosecutor's representative had referred to a "risk of flight" and "certain propensity" for Mr. Balkany "to shirk his responsibilities", saying it was "important to guarantee his representation at the appeal". , scheduled from December 11 to 18 for tax evasion.
© 2019 AFP