Ummid Assistant

Maharashtra SSC Results: Mumbai tops; girls outshine boys again

Samsung to offer scholarships to IIM-A students

Welcome Guest! You are here: Home » International

Former Tunisian President Ben Ali sentenced in absentia to 35 years

Tuesday June 21, 2011 09:35:40 AM, Agencies

Tunis: A Tunisian court June 20 sentenced former president Zine Al-Abidine Ben Ali in absent to 35 years in jail, six months after his ouster in a revolution helped inspire the “Arab Spring.”

Ben Ali was found guilty after just one day of deliberation of theft, illegally possessing jewelry and large sums of cash.

The same sentence was handed down to his wife Leila Trabelsi, a former hairdresser 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 flew to Saudi Arabia on January 14 after mass protests against his 23-year rule. While he was in office, members of his extended family built stakes in the country’s biggest businesses and accumulated vast fortunes.

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

In a statement issued by his lawyers earlier on Monday, Ben Ali denied all the charges against him, saying that he was the victim of a political plot. He said he had been tricked into leaving the country.

During the hearing, a prosecutor had asked the judge 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, who read out the verdict and sentence in the Palace of Justice in the Tunisian capital, also ruled Ben Ali and his wife would have to pay fines totalling 91 million Tunisian dinars ($65.6 million).

The judge said the verdict on other charges, relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons, would be pronounced on June 30, according to a Reuters reporter who was in the courtroom.



 

 


 

 

  Bookmark and Share                                          Home | Top of the Page

 

Comments

Note: By posting your comments here you agree to the terms and conditions of www.ummid.com

Comments powered by DISQUS

 

 

 

Top Stories

Samjhauta blasts: NIA charges Aseemanand, four others

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) Monday filed its chargesheet against radical Hindu activist Swami Aseemanand and four  »

Bomb for bomb: Aseemanand confesses bombings to target Muslims

Aseemanand confesses his involvement in 2006 Malegaon blast

 

  Most Read

NHRC to probe police firing in Bihar's Forbesganj village

Acting on complaints by politicians and the civil society, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday said it will investigate an alleged incident of police firing in Bihar earlier   »

Team Anna, government battle on new issues; differences widen

Differences between Team Anna and the government widened further Monday as both sides stuck to their stand on key issues, including on bringing the prime minister within the ambit of a strong Lokpal bill, even as new areas of disagreement emerged. However, both sides for the first  »

 

  News Pick

Delhi government health scheme left 775 kids dead

As many as 775 children and eight pregnant women, enrolled in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme of the Delhi government under which nutritious food and health facilities are provided to  »

Internet to be thrown open to new names

The body that controls internet domain names Monday agreed to open up the naming system so that any organisation with enough cash can apply to create own version of .com, .org or .gov. The Los Angeles-based  »

Kerala LDF opposes sanction to new CBSE schools

The opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala has given an open call to protest the new United Democratic Front (UDF) government's decision to give sanction to more than 450 new CBSE schools  »

Indian-American doctor couple killed in Ohio plane crash

An Indian American doctor couple from New Jersey were killed when their single-engine plane crashed into an Ohio cornfield and burst into flames shortly after takeoff Sunday. Viswanathan Rajaraman, the 54-year-old pilot, and  »

 

Picture of the Day

Humayun's Tomb, one of the country's first garden mausoleum and a Unesco World Heritage Site, is getting a makeover to resemble its original state with a unique not-for-profit private-public conservation project partnered by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, the Dorabji Tata Trust and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

(Photo: IANS)

 

 
 
 
 
 

RSS  |  Contact us

 

| Quick links

News

 

Subscribe to

Ummid Assistant

 

National

Religion

RSS

Scholarships

About us

International

Culture

Twitter

Government Schemes

Feedback

Regional

History

Facebook

Education

Register

Politics

Opinion

Newsletter

Contact us

Business

Career

     

Education

       

 

 

Ummid.com: Disclaimer | Terms of Use | Advertise with us | Link Exchange

Ummid.com is part of the Awaz Multimedia & Publications providing World News, News Analysis and Feature Articles on Education, Health. Politics, Technology, Sports, Entertainment, Industry etc. The articles or the views displayed on this website are for public information and in no way describe the editorial views. The users are entitled to use this site subject to the terms and conditions mentioned.

© 2010 Awaz Multimedia & Publications. All rights reserved.