Paris (AFP)

The appeal lawsuit of the city councilors of Levallois-Perret (Hauts-de-Seine), Patrick and Isabelle Balkany, heavily condemned at first instance for tax evasion, started Wednesday morning in Paris.

After the rejection of his last application for release, Patrick Balkany, 71, appears detained. Very emaciated, glasses smoked on gray sweater, he took place in the box, while his wife and first assistant Isabelle, 72, is sitting, free, on the bench of the defendants.

On entering the courtroom, she went to kiss her husband, then sat down, smiling, facing the court.

At the open hearing, the defense asked for the trial to be adjourned, demanding the joinder of tax evasion and money laundering cases - to be considered in February. A request already made, unsuccessfully, by the lawyers of Patrick Balkany at first instance.

Patrick Balkany, head of the town hall of Levallois for 37 years almost continuously, has been incarcerated since his conviction, on September 13, to four years in prison for tax evasion.

In the same case, his wife Isabelle, 72, was sentenced to three years in prison, but without a warrant, in view of his fragile health.

A month later, the city officials were sentenced again, this time for aggravated money laundering, he to five years in prison with a new money order and she to four years of imprisonment.

Both were sentenced to ten years of ineligibility and prohibition to run a company. They immediately appealed, an appeal suspending the execution of the sentence - except for the imprisonment of Patrick Balkany, confirmed by the Court of Appeal.

Until 18 December, the couple will have to answer again for a tax evasion described as "massive" by the correctional court, which had ground its anchorage in a "highly remunerative delinquency".

For the court, the couple should have notably declared the luxurious villa Pamplemousse of Saint-Martin, that Isabella Balkany had belatedly admitted owning, but also a sumptuous riad in Marrakech, that the couple denies having bought.

In total, the amounts evaded are estimated at 4 million euros, an amount vigorously contested by the defense.

© 2019 AFP