Former French president Sarkozy granted release from prison after three weeks

The former French president was jailed in October for conspiring to fund his election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

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He will be subject to strict judicial supervision and barred from leaving France.

Sarkozy's car was seen leaving La Santé prison in Paris just before 15:00 (14:00 GMT), less than an hour and a half after a court agreed to his early release.

On 21 October the former centre-right president, 70, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to fund his 2007 election campaign with money from late Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

His lawyers immediately filed a request seeking his release, pending an appeal trial next March.