Court acquits Ben Ali's security chief in escape case

A Tunisian court dropped the
case against Ali Seriati, but he remains in custody pending more serious
charges of trying to sow strife in the wake of the revolution that sparked the
“Arab Spring” protests that spread across the region.
In the same session, the
court sentenced 23 relatives of Ben Ali and his wife, Leila Trabelsi, to jail
terms ranging between four months and six years. Leila Trabelsi was sentenced
to six years in absentia and Ben Ali’s powerful son-in-law Sakher Materi was
sentenced to four years in absentia.
“These verdicts are
disappointing,” said Abdelmajid, a Tunisian man who came to watch the
sentencing. “Is it possible that some of the Trabelsi get just four months or a
year? Why don’t they just release them too?“
The court released from
custody on Friday the former Finance Minister Mohammed Rechid Kchich, though
corruption charges against him have not been dropped.
His release comes on the
heels of the release of the reviled former justice minister, who also still
faces charges.
Analysts and politicians say
Ben Ali’s former allies are still in positions of power and are working behind
the scenes to save their friends, protect their interests and roll back the
gains Tunisians have made since Ben Ali fled the country.
Seriati was considered close
to the Tunisian leader and many Tunisians accuse him of orchestrating a spree
of violence after Ben Ali fled the country on Jan. 14 for Saudi Arabia. The
relatives were captured at the airport as they prepared to flee with cash and
jewelry on the night Ben Ali left.
Seriati was arrested shortly
after Ben Ali’s departure, and appealed for forgiveness in court on Wednesday.
“I ask the Tunisian people to forgive me. I am Tunisian and I love Tunisia,” he
shouted at the end of the hearing.
“Even Seriati is innocent. So
who are the criminals? The people who went on protests from Dec. 17 to Jan. 14?
And they said it was a revolution,” wrote one Tunisian on Facebook.