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| Tunisian ex-president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, pictured in 2010 |
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TUNISIA: OUSTED PRESIDENT BEN ALI SENTENCED AGAIN TO LIFE IMPRISONMENT
July 19, 2012: a Tunisian military court sentenced ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to life imprisonment in absentia over the killing of protesters in the capital Tunis and the towns of Sousse, Nabeul, Bizerte and Zaghouan during the revolution that launched the Arab Spring.
The court also sentenced Ben Ali's interior minister and 38 other security officials to up to 20 years jail. Former Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem was sentenced to 15 years in jail and Ben Ali's security chief Ali Seriati was given 20 years. Ahmed Friaa, who was named interior minister shortly before Ben Ali fled, was among three officials who had charges against them dropped.
The sentencing provoked stormy protests in the court room, with victims' families enraged at what they saw as light sentences, while the relatives of those convicted were angered by trials they believe to be politically charged and unfair.
On 13 June, another military court had sentenced Ben Ali to life in prison for his role in the deadly repression during 2011 uprising. (Sources: Reuters, 19/07/2012)
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