{"id":453133,"date":"2011-07-04T11:26:17","date_gmt":"2011-07-04T11:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/07\/04\/tunisias-ben-ali-in-drugs-trial\/"},"modified":"2011-07-04T11:26:17","modified_gmt":"2011-07-04T11:26:17","slug":"tunisias-ben-ali-in-drugs-trial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/07\/04\/tunisias-ben-ali-in-drugs-trial\/","title":{"rendered":"Tunisia’s Ben Ali in drugs trial"},"content":{"rendered":"

4 July 2011<\/span> Last updated at<\/span> 07:26 ET<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The drugs and gun running trial in absentia of Tunisia’s ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has opened in the capital, Tunis.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali is accused of harbouring drugs and weapons at his palace in Tunis during his rule – charges he deny.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali was last month sentenced to 35 years in prison for embezzlement and misuse of state funds.<\/p>\n

He fled to Saudi Arabia in January following weeks of protests – the first leader be ousted in the “Arab Spring”.<\/p>\n

Saudi Arabia has so far failed to extradite Ben Ali, despite a request by Tunisia’s new interim government.<\/p>\n

In court, his lawyer, Hosni Beji, described the drugs and gun-running charges as “irrational”.<\/p>\n

‘Mediocre cannabis’<\/span><\/p>\n

He said he had a list of witnesses to prove Ben Ali never owned or kept drugs.<\/p>\n

“How can we imagine that a president holding power can have two kilogrammes of cannabis resin of mediocre quality [with intentions] of selling it,” the AFP news agency quotes him as saying.<\/p>\n

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

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

You have betrayed Tunisia by defending Ben Ali\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

End Quote<\/span> Protesters in court<\/span><\/div>\n

Mr Beji also said most of the weapons found at Ben Ali’s palace after he fled were gifts from foreign leaders.<\/p>\n

Algeria’s President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Saudi Arabia’s Interior Minister Prince Nayef Ben Abdel Aziz gave Ben Ali weapons, Mr Beji said, AFP reports.<\/p>\n

Reuters news agency reports that members of the public in the courtroom heckled Ben Ali’s lawyers, shouting: “Get out! You have betrayed Tunisia by defending Ben Ali!” and “You should have defended the young people killed by Ben Ali’s weapons!”<\/p>\n

‘Parody of justice’<\/span><\/p>\n

Ben Ali’s lawyers walked out of the courtroom after the judge refused their request to delay the case so that they had more time to prepare their defence.<\/p>\n

The case was due to have started last week, but was postponed because of a strike by judges.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali and his wife Leila were also fined $66m (\u00a341m) for embezzling and misappropriating public funds.<\/p>\n

Ben Ali described the one-day trial as a “parody of justice”.<\/p>\n

He is also being investigated on suspicion of murder and abuse of power.<\/p>\n

He ruled Tunisia for more than 20 years, before being ousted in a popular uprising that spread across North Africa and the Middle East.<\/p>\n

His critics say his rule was marred by widespread human rights abuses and a lack of democracy.<\/p>\n

His supporters say Tunisia was stable during his rule.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/p>\n

Link:
\nTunisia’s Ben Ali in drugs trial<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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