France refuses to hand over ex-President Ben Ali’s son-in-law to Tunisia

Former President of Tunisia Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali speaks at the parliament in Tunis, on 12 November 2009 [AFP PHOTO/FETHI BELAID/ Getty]

The French judiciary yesterday refused to deport Belhassen Trabelsi, son-in-law of the late Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, due to the “risk of inhuman and degrading treatment” in Tunis.

“There is a real risk of inhuman and degrading treatment against Trabelsi and deficiencies in oversight in case of ill-treatment in detention,” a French court said in a statement.

The court described recent explanations by the Tunisian authorities about the death of Trabelsi’s three brothers in prison between 2011 and 2020 as “insufficient.”

Tunisia has demanded the extradition of Trabelsi over his conviction in five economic and financial violation cases, in which he was sentenced to 33 years in prison.

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