Bacre Waly Ndiaye told a news conference that 72 people had also been killed in unrest that took place in the country’s jails during weeks of protests that began on Dec. 17.

Ben Ali fled Tunisia on Jan 14. The interim government that took over has promised to investigate any deaths and injuries that took place during the uprising and to compensate the families affected.

Tunisia’s former interior minister, replaced in a cabinet reshuffle on Thursday, had said 78 people were killed in the demonstrations.

The eight-member UN human rights team began work in Tunisia last week. It is helping to investigate any abuses and will offer advice to the government.