Tunisia sentences Ben Ali, officials over revolt deaths

Tunis, 20 Jul – (ANA) - A Tunisian military court has sentenced ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali to life imprisonment in absentia. Ben Ali, who fled into exile in Saudi Arabia as protests swept Tunisia on January 14, 2011 is unlikely to be extradited. Former Interior Minister Rafik Belhaj Kacem and 38 other security officials also received sentences of up to 20 years in jail over the deaths of protesters during the Arab Spring. Ahmed Friaa, who was named interior minister shortly before Ben Ali fled, was among three officials who had charges against them dropped.

Many of the officials on trial have already been given jail sentences for various crimes linked to last year's revolution, which toppled Ben Ali and inspired uprisings in Libya, Egypt and elsewhere in the Arab world.

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.

Some women wailed and fainted as the verdicts were read out. (ANA)

FA/ANA/20 July 2012-----------