EU court lifts sanctions against Ben Ali family
Iran Press TV
Fri May 31, 2013 10:51AM GMT
The European Union has lifted sanctions against relatives of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, placing the economic burden on the country’s citizens, Press TV reports.
“We respect the European judiciary system but we condemn the decision of the European courts which is in favor of corrupt figures from the former regime. Ben Ali and his clan are wanted in Tunisia for charges of corruption and money laundering,” said Faysal Ajina, an advisor to Tunisia’s Justice Minister.
The former dictator’s sons in law Mohamed Sakhr El Materi and Slim Chiboub and his brother-in-law Belhassen Trabelsi are accused of embezzling billions of dollars from the country and depositing the money in foreign banks prior to the country’s revolution in January 2011.
“The majority of European countries have refused to cooperate in recovering the stolen money but we’ll never abandon the rights of our people,” said Ajina.
By abandoning the cause, experts say the European Union has placed itself in support of the Ben Ali family, at the expense of rebuilding Tunisia.
“This decision is irresponsible. It proves that European countries do not stand by the revolution. The banks in Europe do not have the right to use our money. This behavior encourages corruption and theft,” said Nouri Trabelsi, an employee at the Health Ministry.
The Court of the European Union placed bank freezes on the assets of the two sons-in-law and brother-in-law of Ben Ali in 2011. However, the EU court placed three stops on sanctions on May 28, 2013.
Ben Ali fled Tunisia in the aftermath of the country’s revolution in early 2011 and currently lives in exile in Saudi Arabia with his wife.
The former leader has already received two life sentences in prison for his regime’s crackdown on protesters prior to his ouster.
According to United Nations figures, more than 300 people were killed and many others wounded in the former government crackdown on protests over corruption, unemployment, and high food prices.
GMA/KA
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