The TAP news agency reported Saturday that the court gave Imed Trabelsi a four-year prison sentence — or twice the penalty handed down in the original trial in May — and a 3,000-dinar ($2,100) fine.
A Justice Ministry spokesman said Trabelsi will stand trial on other charges including corruption, fraud and illegal trafficking of archaeological items.
Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia Jan. 14 amid a public uprising. He and his wife, Leila Trabelsi, were convicted in absentia Monday and sentenced to 35 years each in prison and fined millions of dollars.
Earlier on Friday, Tunisia, whose demonstrations inspired the so-called ‘Arab Spring’ uprisings across the region, became the first North African state to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Tunisia is the 116th country to sign the Rome Statute, which established the world’s first permanent war crimes court in The Hague. Having signed the necessary documents to join the ICC, Tunisia will become a party to the treaty on Sept. 1, which will subject it to the court’s jurisdiction.
“The ICC welcomes Tunisia’s accession as a decision to join the international community’s efforts to put an end to impunity for the perpetrators of the most serious crimes of international concern — genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and aggression,” the ICC said on its website.
