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For a sitting head of state, presidential immunity can feel like an impenetrable shield, placing them above the very laws they are sworn to uphold.
But what happens when their term ends and that shield disappears?
For a number of former world leaders, this transition was a harsh awakening to accountability, as they found themselves standing in the dock as ordinary citizens.
From bombshell corruption scandals to failed coups, here is a look at the countries that have held their once-untouchable leaders to account and put them behind bars.
Brazil
Jair Bolsonaro, president from 2019 to 2022, was sentenced to 27 years and three months in prison on September 11, 2025, by the Supreme Court for plotting a coup to overturn the 2022 election results.
Former President of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years and 3 months
He remains free while his case is under appeal.
Now 70, Bolsonaro resides in Brasília but is barred from running for office until 2030.
READ ALSO: Brazil's Bolsonaro threatens to punch reporter in the mouth
South Africa
Jacob Zuma was president from 2009 to 2018. On July 29, 2021, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for contempt of court after he refused to testify at an inquiry into state corruption.
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South Africa's embattled former president Jacob Zuma is alleged to have taken bribes in connection with a multi-billion dollar arms deal
He served about two months before being released on medical parole.
Although courts later deemed his parole unlawful, he was released again just hours after a brief return to custody in August 2023.
Now 83, Zuma lives freely in KwaZulu-Natal but still faces ongoing legal battles.
READ ALSO: South Africa ex-president Zuma faces court on corruption charges
Egypt
Hosni Mubarak, who ruled from 1981 until the 2011 Arab Spring uprising, was sentenced to three years in prison on May 21, 2015, for embezzling public funds to upgrade his family's palaces.
Hosni Mubarak served 3 years for embezzling public funds
Having been detained since his ouster, he served his full term and was freed on March 24, 2017. Mubarak passed away in Cairo on February 25, 2020, at the age of 91.
READ ALSO: Egypt to bury ousted autocrat Mubarak with military honours
Sudan
Omar al-Bashir seized power in 1989 and ruled until he was overthrown in 2019.
On December 14, 2019, a court in Khartoum sentenced him to two years in a low-security facility for corruption and receiving illegal kickbacks.
Former Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
He remains in detention due to outstanding warrants from the International Criminal Court (ICC) for genocide and war crimes.
As of September 2025, the 81-year-old is being held in a military hospital in Khartoum amid Sudan's ongoing civil war.
READ ALSO: Sudan's Bashir: the ousted autocrat with many faces
South Korea
Park Geun-hye, president from 2013 to 2017, was sentenced on April 6, 2018, for her role in a massive bribery and abuse-of-power scandal involving a close confidante.
Park Geun-hye, former President of South Korea
Her initial 24-year sentence was later reduced to 20 years on appeal.
After serving nearly five years, she received a presidential pardon on December 24, 2021, due to her declining health.
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South Korean ousted leader Park Geun-Hye (left) arrives at the Seoul Central District Court in Seoul on May 25, 2017 for her trial over the massive corruption scandal that led to her downfall
Now 73, Park lives a quiet life in Seoul.
READ ALSO: Retrials ordered for ex-South Korean leader Park, Samsung heir
Lee Myung-bak, Park’s predecessor (2008-2013), was sentenced to 15 years in prison on October 5, 2018, for bribery and embezzlement related to an auto parts company he secretly owned.
He served about four years before receiving a presidential pardon on December 27, 2022, citing his advanced age and health issues.
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Former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak arriving at court to attend his original trial in 2018
At 83, Lee is now retired from politics and resides in Seoul.
READ ALSO: Former South Korean president jailed after losing appeal
Pakistan
Imran Khan, who served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022, was handed a 10-year prison sentence on January 30, 2024, for leaking state secrets.
Just a day later, he was sentenced to an additional 14 years in a separate corruption case.
Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, was jailed for leaking state secrets
Although he was granted bail in August 2025 for other charges, he remains imprisoned on these convictions.
As of September 2025, the 72-year-old is in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, with his appeals still pending.
READ ALSO: Pakistan PM Khan's party says critical media coverage may be 'treason'
Nawaz Sharif has been prime minister three times, with his last term ending in 2017.
Three-time Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif
On July 6, 2018, he was sentenced to 10 years in prison for corruption linked to his family's ownership of luxury London apartments.
After a brief period in jail, he was released on bail and left for London in 2019 for medical treatment. His sentence was suspended upon his return to Pakistan in 2023.
Now 75, Sharif is back to leading his political party from Lahore.
READ ALSO: Pakistan ex-leader Sharif sentenced to 7 years in jail for graft
Malaysia
Najib Razak, prime minister from 2009 to 2018, was sentenced to 12 years in prison on July 28, 2020, for his role in the massive 1MDB global corruption scandal.
The sentence was upheld in August 2022. In January 2024, Malaysia’s king halved his sentence to six years and reduced his fines.
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Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak arrives at the Kuala Lumpur High Court during an earlier appearance
With money laundering charges dropped in June 2025, the 72-year-old is currently serving his time in Kajang Prison while continuing to seek house arrest through a judicial review as of August 2025.
READ ALSO: Hollywood producer 'ready to testify' against Malaysia ex-PM
Thailand
Thaksin Shinawatra, who was prime minister from 2001 until a 2006 coup, was sentenced in absentia to two years in prison on September 21, 2008, for abuse of power.
After returning from a long self-exile in August 2023, he began serving his time in a hospital.
Former Thailand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, now in custody in Bangkok
A royal pardon reduced his consolidated eight-year sentence to one year.
However, on September 9, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled he must serve that year in a proper prison.
The 76-year-old is now back in custody in Bangkok.
READ ALSO: Ousted Thai PM slapped with $500 million tax bill
Myanmar
Aung San Suu Kyi, the country's de facto leader from 2016 until a military coup in 2021, was given a combined sentence of 27 years by military courts between 2021 and 2024.
Former State Counsellor of Myanmar, Aung San Suu Kyi
The charges included corruption, election fraud, and breaching state secrets laws. She remains in detention with no release date.
Aung San Suu Kyi, pictured far left, in court
As of September 2025, the 80-year-old is being held in a Naypyidaw prison, reportedly in declining health.
READ ALSO: Thousands in Myanmar rally behind Suu Kyi ahead of Hague court date
Argentina
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was president from 2007 to 2015, was sentenced to six years in prison on December 6, 2022, for fraudulent administration of public works projects.
Former President of Argentina, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, now under house arrest
On June 10, 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the verdict and banned her from holding public office for life.
Just a week later, on June 17, 2025, she was granted house arrest due to her age.
At 72, she is serving her sentence from her home in Buenos Aires and has promised to continue fighting the conviction.
Peru
Alberto Fujimori, Peru’s authoritarian president from 1990 to 2000, was sentenced to 25 years in prison on April 7, 2009, for ordering death squads and other human rights abuses.
Former Peru strongman Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years in prison, but was later released and now lives under restrictions in Peru
After a controversial back-and-forth involving a pardon, he was finally released on December 7, 2023, by the constitutional court on humanitarian grounds after serving 16 years.
Now 86, Fujimori lives under certain restrictions in Lima.
READ ALSO: Fujimori says return to prison will kill him
Alejandro Toledo, president from 2001 to 2006, was given a sentence of 20 years and six months on October 23, 2024, for taking bribes from the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
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Former Peruvian president Alejandro Toledo, pictured in 2016, is accused of corruption in a sprawling scandal related to Brazilian construction company Odebrecht
On September 3, 2025, he was sentenced to another 13 years and four months for money laundering.
Extradited from the United States, he is now serving his sentences concurrently at Barbadillo Prison in Lima. At 79, his appeals are ongoing.
READ ALSO: Former Peruvian president wanted for corruption to remain in custody
Israel
Ehud Olmert, prime minister from 2006 to 2009, was sentenced to 27 months in prison on December 13, 2016, for bribery related to a real estate deal.
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Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gestures during his trial in Jerusalem on May 25, 2015
He was released on parole on July 2, 2017, after serving 16 months for good behavior. Now 79, Olmert lives in Tel Aviv, where he writes and gives public speeches.
Moshe Katsav, president from 2000 to 2007, was sentenced to seven years in prison on December 22, 2011, for the rape and sexual harassment of his aides.
Former President of Israel, Moshe Katsav, was sentenced for sexually assaulting his aides, but was released after serving five years
He was released on parole on December 21, 2016, after serving five years. Now 80, Katsav lives a low-profile life in Herzliya.
READ ALSO: Kenya issues statement on escalation of Iran-Israel conflict
Croatia
Ivo Sanader, prime minister from 2003 to 2009, was sentenced to eight years in prison on December 23, 2020, for corruption and war profiteering.
Former Croatian Premier Ivo Sanader, sentenced to eight years in prison for corruption but released after serving five
READ ALSO: Croatia ex-PM Sanader jailed for $2.5 million bribe
He was released on parole on July 31, 2025, after serving two-thirds of his sentence. The 72-year-old is now free in Zagreb.