TUNIS – Tunisia’s ousted President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has been convicted on charges of possessing illegal drugs and weapons after a one-day trial in Tunis. He was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in jail. Ben Ali and his wife Leila were last month sentenced to 35 years in prison for embezzlement and misuse of state funds. He fled to Saudi Arabia in January following weeks of protests – the first leader be ousted in the “Arab Spring”. Saudi Arabia has so far failed to extradite Ben Ali, despite a request by Tunisia’s new interim government.
