Tunisian authorities arrest ousted President Ben Ali's sister

[News_Editor]

Tunisian authorities arrest ousted President Ben Ali's sister

2011-06-04 02:54:37 GMT+7 (ICT)

TUNIS (BNO NEWS) -- Tunisian authorities on Friday announced that the sister of ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was arrested after being on the run for some time.

According to the state-run TAP news agency, Najet Ben Ali was detained by National Security units on Thursday evening. She was located in a house in the northern Sousse region.

On Friday morning, Ben Ali appeared before the investigating magistrate at the Sfax Court of First Instance. She is accused of several offenses in Sfax governorate including initiating a fire at a warehouse of smuggled goods.

Several protesters gathered outside the Sfax Court since early in the morning. Some of them managed to get inside the courtroom chanting slogans against the detainee and the Ben Ali family.

In January, former President Ben Ali was ousted after weeks of violent protests over economic issues. The interim leadership announced the formation of a caretaker government of national unity that included members of the opposition.

The United Nations estimated that approximately 219 people were killed during the Tunisian mass unrest that began in mid-December. Most of them died after security forces were ordered to fire at them.

In April 14, the Tunisian Justice Ministry charged the ousted leader with 18 charges including conspiring against the State and voluntary manslaughter. Authorities also issued a request to Interpol to freeze the assets of the former president and his family.

In May 5, a Sousse Court charged Ben Ali, his wife Leila Ben Ali, his nephew Kais Ben Ali with plotting against internal security, inciting people to engaging in armed violence against each others or causing disorder, murder and looting in the Tunisian territory.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-06-04