Tunisia begins extradition procedures against ex-president
June 18th, 2011 - 4:54 am ICT by IANSTunis, June 18 (IANS) Tunisia has started extradition procedures against former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Xinhua reported.
Ben Ali took power in a bloodless coup in 1987 and led the country for 23 years. He stepped down in mid-January amid an unprecedented wave of street protests that began in December 2010 after a young graduate set himself on fire when stopped from selling fruit and vegetables without a licence.
The extradition procedures have been commenced by a Tunisian military magistrate, the official news agency TAP reported Friday.
Announcing the decision, during a press conference, Marouane Bouguerra, director general of military justice, said the extradition request would be made in accordance with the Riyadh Arab judicial cooperation convention signed in 1983, related to the handing over of criminals.
Bouguerra also said that the three permanent military tribunals of Tunis, Sfax and le Kef have been entrusted with some 182 cases during the period between Dec 17, 2010 and Jan 14, 2011.
The cases include voluntary manslaughter, drug-trafficking and money-laundering. The trial, in absence of the former president who fled to Saudi Arabia Jan 14 following popular anti-government protests, will take place in Tunis June 20.
Ben Ali was credited with delivering stability and a measure of economic prosperity to Tunisia, but he was widely criticised for suppressing political freedoms.
- Ben Ali's former advisor held in Tunis - Sep 04, 2012
- Tunisian military court sentences Ben Ali in absentia - Jul 19, 2012
- Tunisians call for Ben Ali's extradition - Apr 16, 2011
- Tunisia's Ben Ali sentenced to 20 more years in jail - Jun 14, 2012
- Switzerland to help Tunisia recover Ben Ali's assets - Apr 19, 2011
- Two killed as protesters, police clash in Tunisia - Feb 06, 2011
- Another jail term for self-exiled Tunisian president - Jul 05, 2011
- Interpol issues global alert for Ben Ali - Jan 27, 2011
- Ousted Tunisian president plans to write autobiography - Apr 22, 2011
- Tunisian PM's website hacked - Apr 09, 2012
- Tunisian ousted President Ben Ali accused of plotting against national security - May 05, 2011
- Tunisia ready to grant asylum to Syrian president - Feb 29, 2012
- Tunisian interim president names new PM - Feb 28, 2011
- Tunisian minister quits - Mar 01, 2011
- Tunisian ex-president's trial postponed - Jul 22, 2011
Tags: bloodless coup, drug trafficking, economic prosperity, extradition procedures, extradition request, fruit and vegetables, judicial cooperation, kef, magistrate, military justice, military tribunals, official news, political freedoms, saudi arabia, sfax, street protests, unprecedented wave, voluntary manslaughter, xinhua, zine el abidine ben ali