{"id":444568,"date":"2011-06-20T19:48:46","date_gmt":"2011-06-20T19:48:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/06\/20\/tunisias-ousted-president-jailed\/"},"modified":"2011-06-20T19:48:46","modified_gmt":"2011-06-20T19:48:46","slug":"tunisias-ousted-president-jailed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/20\/tunisias-ousted-president-jailed\/","title":{"rendered":"Tunisia’s ousted president jailed"},"content":{"rendered":"

20 June 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 15:48 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife Leila to 35 years in prison for theft and other charges.<\/p>\n

The couple, who left Tunisia for Saudi Arabia after a popular uprising in January, were being tried in absentia.<\/p>\n

The court also ordered them to pay a $66m (\u00a341m) fine.<\/p>\n

The trial began on Monday on accusations of theft, corruption and drug smuggling, which the former president had denied.<\/p>\n

The presiding judge also said that a verdict on other charges – relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons – would be announced on 30 June.<\/p>\n

In a statement issued earlier on Monday, Ben Ali said he had taken his family to Saudi Arabia for safety.<\/p>\n

He said he had intended to return to Tunisia immediately, but the plane left without him, “disobeying my instructions”.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali’s lawyers had argued that the trial was an attempt by Tunisia’s interim government to divert attention from their failure to restore stability in the country.<\/p>\n

The Saudi authorities have yet to respond to an extradition request from Tunisia for the couple.<\/p>\n

‘Victor’s justice’<\/span><\/p>\n

The second case – targeting Ben Ali only – involves weapons and drugs reportedly found in his presidential palace.<\/p>\n

Continue reading the main story<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cStart Quote<\/span><\/h2>\n
\n

He knows every new political authority wants to blame its predecessor and hold it responsible for difficulties it fails to resolve\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

End Quote<\/span> Statement by Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali’s lawyers<\/span><\/div>\n

Almost 2kg (4.4lb) of drugs, believed to be cannabis, and $27m (\u00a316.4m; 18.7m euros) in cash were allegedly discovered.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali is also being investigated on suspicion of murder, abuse of power, trafficking of archaeological artefacts and money laundering.<\/p>\n

Speaking through his Beirut-based lawyers on Sunday, Ben Ali mounted a defence of his 23 years as president, which many Tunisians say was marked by autocratic rule, corruption and human rights abuses.<\/p>\n

“He would like everyone to know this criminal prosecution is only a false and shameful image of victor’s justice,” a statement said.<\/p>\n

“Is the purpose behind that [trial] to divert the attention of Tunisians from the turmoil that nobody can accuse him of or hold him responsible for?<\/p>\n

“He knows that every new political authority wants to blame its predecessor and hold it responsible for difficulties it fails to resolve.”<\/p>\n

The statement also appealed to Tunisians not to forget Ben Ali’s achievements.<\/p>\n

“He hopes from his heart that Tunisia escapes chaos and darkness and continues on its path towards modernity,” the statement said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Read More:
\nTunisia’s ousted president jailed<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

20 June 2011 Last updated at 15:48 ET A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife Leila to 35 years in prison for theft and other charges. The couple, who left Tunisia for Saudi Arabia after a popular uprising in January, were being tried in absentia. The court also ordered them to pay a $66m (\u00a341m) fine. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":444569,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-444568","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-local-news"},"yoast_head":"\nTunisia's ousted president jailed - Ghanamma.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/06\/20\/tunisias-ousted-president-jailed\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Tunisia's ousted president jailed - Ghanamma.com\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"20 June 2011 Last updated at 15:48 ET A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife Leila to 35 years in prison for theft and other charges. 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