BBC News, 20 June 2011
Tunisia turmoil
A Tunisian court has sentenced ousted Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife to 35 years in prison each for theft and other charges.
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| Mr Ben Ali, seen with his wife in this photo from 2009, ruled Tunisia for 23 years |
The couple, who left Tunisia for Saudi Arabia after a popular uprising in January, were being tried in absentia.
The court also ordered them to pay a $66m (£41m) fine.
The trial began on Monday on accusations of theft, corruption and drug smuggling, which the former president had denied.
The presiding judge also said that a verdict on other charges - relating to illegal possession of drugs and weapons - would be announced on 30 June.
In a statement issued earlier on Monday, Ben Ali said he had taken his family to Saudi Arabia for safety.
He said he had intended to return to Tunisia immediately, but the plane left without him, "disobeying my instructions".
Ben Ali's lawyers had argued that the trial was an attempt by Tunisia's interim government to divert attention from their failure to restore stability in the country.
The Saudi authorities have yet to respond to an extradition request from Tunisia for the couple.
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