Tunisia’s Ben Ali sentenced to 35 years in jail

A TUNISIAN court yesterday sentenced former president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali in absentia to 35 years in jail.

Ben Ali, who has been in Saudi Arabia since he was forced from office, was found guilty of theft, illegally possessing jewellery and large sums of cash, after just one day of deliberation.

The same sentence was handed down to his wife, Leila Trabelsi, whose lavish lifestyle and clique of wealthy relatives was for many Tunisians a symbol of the corruption of Ben Ali’s time in office.

Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia on January 14 after mass protests against his 23-year rule.

Tunisia’s revolt electrified millions across the Arab world who suffer similarly from high unemployment, rising prices and repressive governments. Ben Ali’s fate has been watched closely in Egypt, where former president Hosni Mubarak is due to stand trial over the killing of protesters.

During the hearing, the judge was asked to hand down “the most severe punishments for those who betrayed the trust and stole the money of the people for their personal gain... They did not stop stealing for 23 years.”

The judge also ruled Ben Ali and his wife would have to pay fines totalling 91 million Tunisian dinars (€41.2 million).

The verdict on other charges, relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons, would be pronounced on June 30.

In a statement issued by his lawyers earlier yesterday, Ben Ali denied all the charges against him, saying was been tricked into leaving the country.

The statement said the head of presidential security told Ben Ali about a plot to assassinate him.

He was persuaded to get on a plane that was taking his wife and children to safety in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but with the intention of returning immediately, the statement said.

“He boarded the plane with his family after ordering the crew to wait for him in Jeddah. But after his arrival in Jeddah, the plane returned to Tunisia, without waiting for him.”

Ben Ali’s version of events is unlikely to elicit sympathy from the majority of Tunisians who are now enjoying relative freedom after decades when most people would not speak openly for fear of arrest by the secret police.