USA Ex-CIA agent convicted of spying for Soviet Union dies in US prison Ames had been head of the Soviet branch in the CIA's counterintelligence group and gave the Kremlin the names of dozens of Russians who were spying for the United States. 07/01/2026
Brazil Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro begins 27-year prison sentence for coup plot Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has started to serve a 27-year prison sentence on Tuesday after he was convicted for leading a coup attempt following his 2022 presidential election loss, despite pressure and protest from US President Donald Trump. 26/11/2025
Culture news Nicolas Sarkozy to publish prison memoir on his 20 days behind bars That was a fast turnaround... Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is set to publish a book next month called “A Prisoner’s Diary”, detailing his 20 days in jail. He was released from La Santé prison on 10 November. 24/11/2025
United Kingdom Chinese fraudster jailed in the UK over multi-billion crypto scam Zhimin Qian, 47, defrauded more than 128,000 victims in China before trying to launder the illegal cryptocurrency proceeds by buying property in the UK. 11/11/2025
United Kingdom Mistakenly released UK prisoner turns himself to London prison staff According to government figures, 262 prisoners were released in error in the year ending March 2025, a 128% increase on the previous 12-month period. 06/11/2025
Georgia UK teen may get two years in Georgia jail in drug smuggling plea deal The family of Bella May Culley, 19, paid more than €157,000 in a plea deal that could result in a two-year prison sentence in the former Soviet republic. 28/10/2025
France Former president behind bars: France grapples with Sarkozy’s jailing The unprecedented jailing of a former head of state exposed deep divisions over justice and the legacy of Nicolas Sarkozy’s years in power. 21/10/2025
Culture news Which highly symbolic books has Nicolas Sarkozy taken to prison? The former French president begins a five-year prison sentence today and is allowed to bring three books with him. What will he be reading behind bars, and how are his choices highly symbolic? 21/10/2025
France Former French President Sarkozy starts jail sentence in Paris prison Nicolas Sarkozy begins a five-year prison sentence in La Santé. He maintains his innocence and vows to fight the decision. 21/10/2025
France Sarkozy received by Macron before prison term starts on Tuesday A Paris court found Sarkozy guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with the alleged Libyan financing of his 2007 presidential campaign and setenced him to five years in prison. 20/10/2025
Germany Germany issues arrest warrant after neo-Nazi Liebich flees the country German authorities issued an arrest warrant for neo-Nazi Marla-Svenja Liebich after fleeing abroad instead of reporting to prison. Liebich has insinuated to be in Russia. 31/08/2025
Europe News German retailers speak of rise in shoplifting and lack of prosecution The damage caused by shoplifting in Germany in 2024 amounted to around €3 billion - a fifth more than in 2022. 03/08/2025
USA Judge sentences ex-officer to nearly 3 years in Breonna Taylor raid Taylor's mother, Tamika Palmer, said she was disappointed that the new federal prosecutors assigned to the case were not pushing for a tougher sentence. 22/07/2025
Turkey Turkish court convicts Istanbul mayor of insulting an official Ekrem İmamoğlu is already in pre-trial detention on separate charges against him, but has now been given an extra prison sentence. 16/07/2025
Europe News Family of Dubai prisoner Ryan Cornelius turns to EU for help Heather Cornelius, whose husband is detained in Dubai, has met with MEPs and the European External Action Service in Brussels. 23/05/2025
Culture news ‘My Favourite Cake’ directors given suspended prison sentence in Iran ‘My Favourite Cake’ directors Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam receive 14-month suspended prison sentences in Iran. The film’s heroine is seen without a headscarf, and the filmmakers were accused of ‘disturbing public opinion’. 14/04/2025