KEF, Tunisia, June 14 (UPI) -- Ousted Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali was sentenced to life imprisonment Thursday for ordering the shooting of protesters.
Ben Ali, tried in absentia, was found guilty of ordering police to open fire on protesters in the cities of Kasserine, Thala, Kairouan and Tajerouine. However, Tunisia Live reported two high-ranking officials, former Regional Director of Intervention Forces Moncef Laadjimi and former Chief of Presidential Security Ali Seriate, had the charges against them dropped.
Earlier in the day, Ben Ali was sentenced to 20 years in prison in a different case for "inciting disorder" and "murdering and looting on Tunisian territory." The charges dealt will the slaying of four protesters in Ouardanine on Jan. 15, 2011, while security forces tried to smuggle Kais Ben Ali, the former president's nephew, out of the country.
Ben Ali went into exile in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in January with his family, under the protection of King Abdullah. The interim Tunisian government has asked Interpol to issue an international arrest warrant for Ben Ali and his wife.
The other defendants were 21 regional and operational security heads, who received sentences between eight and 15 years in prison.
The general prosecutor in the trial demanded May 23 Ben Ali be sentenced to death, as well as the harshest possible sentences for the remaining defendants.
