A French appeals court has allowed voodoo dolls of French President Nicolas Sarkozy to remain on sale. Although the request to ban them was turned down, the dolls will now come with a warning that pricking them with pins constitutes an attack on the presi

Sarkozy's attorney had called for their withdrawal, claiming the French leader owns the right to his image.

The doll’s body is printed with Sarkozy’s most infamous quotes, such as “Work more to earn more,” and “Get lost, you pathetic arsehole.” It comes with a satirical biography of him as well as a dozen pins to stick into the doll.

A month ago a judge in France declared that a voodoo doll bearing the image of Sarkozy was legal, stating that it was “within the right to satirise”.

French law grants every individual the right to his own image, regardless of status or fame, and though the defence lawyer argued that the doll violates Sarkozy’s right, the court decided that it did not constitute an attack on human dignity or a personal attack, and therefore decided in favour of the doll’s manufacturer, K&B, and in favour of the freedom to satirise.