Trabelsi sentenced in absentia to 15 years and 2 months in jail

Former president Ben Ali's brother-in-law Belhassen Trabelsi was sentenced Wednesday in absentia to 15 years and 2 months in jail by the Tunis court of first instance. Belhassen Trabelsi was prosecuted for exporting Tunisian and foreign currencies as well as large amounts of precious metal without permission of the Central Bank. Tunisia will thus be entitled to claim his extradition, take legal action against him in Canada and also ask for the freezing of his assets abroad. According to Tunisian law, any opposition to the sentence has to be made in presence of the person concerned. Belhassen Trabelsi had left Tunisia with his family members, last January 14 on board of his yacht, carrying large amounts of money (Tunisian dinars and foreign currency) and valuables. He went first to Italy before heading for Canada.