Ben Ali faults seizure of his Tunisia property

TUNIS, Friday

Tunisia’s ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben plans to take a complaint about the seizure of his property to a United Nations committee, his lawyer said on Friday.

In a statement, Akram Azoury condemned “the illegal actions of the Tunisian authorities who have confiscated all the fixed and moveable assets of president Ben Ali, including his personal house,” under a decree signed by then interim president Fouad Mebazaa last March 14.

The announcement came as Tunisians were preparing on Saturday to celebrate the toppling of Ben Ali a year ago on January 14, when he fled to Saudi Arabia following weeks of street protests.

“It isn’t possible to confiscate somebody’s belongings except after a court ruling respecting the norms of a free trial and the right to a defence,” lawyer Azoury said, denouncing “an abusive mesure contrary to the constitution and Tunisian laws.”

“President Ben Ali intends to lodge a complaint against the Tunisian authorities with the Human Rights Committee in Geneva,” he concluded.

(AFP)