Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has been the target of death threats in prison - less than a day after beginning a five-year sentence for criminal conspiracy.

A video circulating online, which appeared to have been filmed by an inmate, showed verbal threats being made on Sarkozy's arrival at Paris' La Sante prison.

According to Reuters, the Paris prosecutor's office was alerted to the video yesterday.

Three inmates were questioned as part of the investigation, and two mobile phones were seized during a search of the prison.

Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was jailed on Tuesday after being convicted of conspiring to raise campaign funds from Libya.

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