Rest of World News: TUNIS: Ten years since an uprising toppled Tunisian dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, his in-laws, who ran a mafia-like empire that once pocketed a fi. They are sentenced to 35 years in prison. But it was too little, too late. As a result, the initial reactions to Ben Ali's abuses by the U.S. and France were muted, and most instances … The unrest began just after the tenth anniversary of former dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali’s flight into exile on Jan. 14. In 1985, he was appointed minister of national security. In October 1987 Pres. Ben Ali was arrested and jailed several times. Ben Ali attended a French military academy, underwent intelligence training in the United States, and quickly rose up the ranks back in Tunisia. Download all free or royalty-free photos and vectors. He adhered to the neoliberal policies recommended by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund: Regulations were loosened and state-run firms were privatized. But to no avail. Ben Ali. One year later, he was made interior minister. They got their hands on cheap loans from state-run banks, with which they bought hotels, real estate, telephone networks and airlines. Ben Ali himself denied that he carries responsibility for the death of Tunisian protesters. Twenty tourists were killed In Bardo, and another 38 in the resort town Sousse. In the 1990s, Ben Ali endeavored to modernize the country's economy. (25.07.2019). Then, in 1987, he was named prime minister. However, the protests continued to intensify, and on January 14 Tunisian state media announced that the government had been dissolved and legislative elections would be held in the next six months. Ben Ali was expected to favour a somewhat less secular government than Bourguiba’s, with a more moderate approach toward religious fundamentalists. Foreign media and NGOs criticised his government, which was supported by the United States and France. Marwan, a regular at this cafe, says many Tunisians leave to escape prison sentences, provide for their families back home, or cut links with the past completely. On January 13 he acknowledged popular dissatisfaction with his administration by promising to step down as president at the end of his term in 2014. Please make sure to include your name and your country. After his return, he was appointed state secretary for national security in 1984 and a cabinet minister in 1985. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Hundreds of Tunisians who have tried to take the dangerous sea route across the Mediterranean have perished. Forced out of Tunisia on January 14, 2011, by weeks of popular outrage spurred by the self-immolation of a market trader protesting police harassment and … As head of the Democratic Constitutional Rally (Rassemblement Constitutionnel Démocratique), he won reelection in 1994, 1999, 2004, and 2009, each time by an overwhelming margin. Some young Tunisians have pointed at the political apathy and disengagement, claiming that society focuses more on football rivalries than post-revolution politics. Tunisia under its long-time ruler Zine Abidine Ben Ali was considered a police state par excellence.However, while the role of the Tunisian police as a key pillar of Ben Ali's authoritarian regime has been commonly acknowledged, analyses of the systemic or structural features of the country's internal security apparatus have thus far been rather limited. Ben Ali was trained in France at the military academy of Saint-Cyr and at the artillery school at Châlons-sur-Marne. But in 1991 he banned Ennahda (“Renaissance”), a political party formed out of the Islamic Tendency Movement, and called for the suppression of Islamists. In June 2012 a military court convicted Ben Ali in absentia and gave him a life sentence for his role in the killing of protesters in southern and central Tunisia, where protests had begun in 2010. Over 6,000 Tunisians reached Italy's shores in 2017 alone; over a third came in the space of two months, the sharpest increase since the 2011 revolution. Tunisia's Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, whose overthrow in a 2011 uprising triggered the "Arab Spring" revolutions, died in exile in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, days after a … And when Ben Ali and Leila Trabelsi fled the country in 2011, they reportedly took 1.5 tons of gold from Tunisia's state bank. Read more: Zine El Abidine Ben Ali: The robber baron of Tunisia "It is the end of dictators like him. She was a member of the committees drafting the post-revolution constitution, enshrining gender equality in Tunisia's future. President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali had ruled Tunisia since 1987, mostly as a one-party state with the Democratic Constitutional Rally(RCD). Tunisian police reacted with a wave of repression. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It was the president’s clan and his second wife Leila Trabelsi who benefited the most from the country's privatization wave, however. The murders of secularist politicians Mohamed Brahmi and Chokri Belaid shocked the country in 2013; Tunis routinely sees demonstrators calling for justice. If you are meeting someone in Tunisia’s capital, you may well propose to meet at the clock tower on the main thoroughfare. The Confiscation Commission in Tunisia estimates that the total value of these assets combined – the total worth of the Ben Ali clan’s belongings – was approximately $13 … Alongside Tunisia’s political revolution has been the beginning of a transition in its civil-military relations. On October 2, 1987, Tunisia's first president, Habib Bourguiba suddenly replaced the incumbent prime minister with Minister of Interior Zine al Abidine Ben Ali, a … Authorities had confiscated his wares, and Bouazizi was at his wit's end. From a time when ͞the walls had ears to post-revolution struggles seven years later, Tunisians are proud to have won their freedom of speech. His portrait hung in state offices, cafes and restaurants across the North African country. Ben Ali was born in 1936 in the coastal town of Hammam Sousse. Ben Ali, meanwhile, fostered the country's export-oriented textile sector and tourism. In elections held on April 2, 1989, he received more than 99 percent of the votes. Tunisia's president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has fled his country after weeks of mass protests culminated in a victory for people power over one of the Arab world's most repressive regimes. On taking power, Tunisia’s next President, Ben Ali, promised to open up the country, politically and economically, and to pave the way to democracy. Saudi Arabia, however, refused Tunisia's calls for his extradition. In a television address on January 10, 2011, he said that "these people have attacked government buildings, state institutions and innocent citizens — they are criminals and we cannot tolerate this." It was widely suspected that Ben Ali and his family had built a fortune worth billions of dollars by illegally appropriating national assets and skimming wealth from most sectors of the Tunisian economy. He spent four years in northern Italy, dealing drugs and saving enough for a house and marriage back home. Political opponents — in particular Islamists, but also democratic activists — were persecuted, tortured or forced into exile. Tunisia’s heavy economic reliance on tourism since the mid-1960s, moreover, has been a questionable and precarious substitute for an emphasis on agricultural exports. On January 13, 2011, Ben Ali finally agreed to negotiate, indicating he might introduce reforms: "I have heard your political demands, that is why I promise unfettered press freedom and the internet will no longer be censored." | Mobile version, Opinion: Arabs want an end to military dictatorships. In January 2011 Ben Ali made several attempts to placate the opposition by expressing regret for the deaths of protesters and vowing to create jobs, control food prices, and increase political freedom. Many Tunisians found themselves in a similarly dire economic situation, and after learning of Bouazizi's death, took to the streets. Read more: Opinion: Arabs want an end to military dictatorships, Send Facebook Twitter reddit EMail Facebook Messenger Web Whatsapp Web Telegram linkedin, For decades, Ben Ali dominated Tunisian politics. Ben Ali also announced he would not run for the presidency again. Now, he has died in exile, out of reach of the Tunisian judiciary. Then, in 1956, France relinquished control of the country and Bourguiba became the first president of newly independent Tunisia. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership, This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Zine-al-Abidine-Ben-Ali, Globalsecurity.org - Zine El Abidine Ben Ali. In a second trial held in July, Ben Ali was convicted of smuggling drugs, guns, and archaeological objects and sentenced to 15 years in prison. In that same year, Ben Ali toppled President Bourguiba in a bloodless coup. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. She is now director of Beity, the only shelter for vulnerable women in Tunis. Every evening at 1830 UTC, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. Ben Ali became president in November 1987 after Habib Bourguiba, the founder of modern Tunisia and president-for-life, was deemed to be too senile to … Many Tunisians, meanwhile, liked to joke in private that they were stuck with their long-term president "for life.". Zine el Abidine Ben Ali will be remembered as the first leader to be toppled in what became known as the Arab Spring. Bardo,Tunisia's National Museum, was the scene of one of the two terror attacks in 2015, which left 24 people dead and the country's crucial tourism economy in tatters. On December 17, 2010, Tunisian greengrocer Mohamed Bouazizi set fire to himself out of despair in his home town of Sidi Bouzid. Tunisia could lose millions of dollars stashed in Switzerland by the family of ousted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, a senior official said Saturday. Tunisia also has the highest number of "Islamic State" recruits, and has fought against an Islamist insurgency in the country's border regions. He added that "this unrest is being stirred up by people who are inciting our youth to revolt and are spreading lies about the government.". Test your knowledge with this quiz. But the West never really took offense to any of this. You can sign up to receive it directly here. Some Western observers regarded the country as role model for economic modernization. Got an opinion about the stories making headlines? At an early age, he joined the anti-colonial resistance movement under the leadership of Habib Bourguiba. He then returned to Tunisia to become head of national security, and in 1980 he became ambassador to Poland. Ben Ali still faces criminal trials on charges that include official corruption and the ordering of the use of lethal force against protesters. We use cookies to improve our service for you. And he became the first despot to be deposed in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, also spelled Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ibn ʿAlī, (born September 3, 1936, near Sousse, Tunisia—died September 19, 2019, Jiddah, Saudi Arabia), army officer and politician who served as president of Tunisia (1987–2011). Britannica Quiz. Inside a cafe, a group of men sit around plastic tables covered with coffee cups, as heaps of discarded cigarette butts pile underneath. Updates? Legal notice | Ben Ali and his wife, Leila Trabelsi, still in exile in Saudi Arabia, are convicted in absentia of having embezzled public funds. You can find more information in our data protection declaration. Several days after opening the investigation, the Tunisian minister of justice, Lazhar Karoui Chebbi, announced that the interim government had issued an international arrest warrant for Ben Ali and several members of his family. Unmarked graves have popped up along Tunisia's coastline. At least three visitors in the small cafe have been deported from Italy. Like Tunisia, Morocco—dominated by the ʿAlawite monarchy since independence—has almost no oil, but it does possess greater reserves…. Your Ben Ali Tunisia stock images are ready. The protest movement quickly spread across the country. Dozens of protesters were killed in clashes with security forces, provoking outcry from human rights groups. Ben Ali never allowed genuine political opposition to emerge and elections were manipulated: In 1989, he supposedly garnered 99.3% of the vote; in 1994, 99.9% and five years later, 99.4%. By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Tunisia on Thursday commemorated the 10th anniversary since the flight into exile of iron-fisted President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, pushed from power in a popular revolt that foreshadowed strife and civil war in the region, known as the Arab Spring. At the beginning of his rule, Ben Ali did, in fact, ease laws restricting the press and released many political prisoners who had been imprisoned under the former regime. The trial, which lasted only a few hours, focused on large quantities of cash and jewels found in one of Ben Ali’s palaces. Send us a text at +49-160-9575 9510. International SMS charges apply. The protest movement had grown too strong to be placated. In June 2011 a Tunisian court convicted Ben Ali and his wife, Leila Trabelsi, in absentia of having embezzled public funds and sentenced them to 35 years in prison. He also studied engineering in the United States. …deposed by his prime minister, Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali. We will sample your texts in our show. Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi has died after being hospitalized with a severe illness. Dialing codes were even changed from 0 to 7. "Now, at least we can speak freely," proclaim Tunisians on the streets. But the protesters refused to be intimidated. Bourguiba, who had ruled Tunisia since its independence from France in 1956, was ill and considered by many to be unfit to continue in office, and on November 7 Ben Ali deposed him in a peaceful coup. Privacy Policy | However, Saudi Arabia, where Ben Ali remained in exile, refused Tunisia’s request to extradite the former president. Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, also spelled Zayn al-ʿĀbidīn ibn ʿAlī, (born September 3, 1936, near Sousse, Tunisia—died September 19, 2019, Jiddah, Saudi Arabia), army officer and politician who served as president of Tunisia (1987–2011). After nearly 24 years in power, he became the former president of Tunisia. The figure 7 played a special role in the cult of his personality: Ben Ali assumed power on November 7, which is why numerous streets, squares and also the state broadcaster were named after this key date. More than 300 individuals are said to have died in the uprising against Ben Ali — most of them at the hands of regime forces. Ben Ali had gained a reputation as a hard-liner in suppressing riots in 1978 and 1984, and in 1986 he became minister of the interior, taking an active role in rooting out the Islamic Tendency Movement, an Islamist group blamed for a number of anti-government demonstrations. Contact He served as the director of Tunisia's military security department from 1964 to 1974, and established close links with the CIA. Habib Bourguiba appointed him prime minister. Tunisia was the only Arab Spring country that made a peaceful transition to democracy. Ben Ali was later sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment for the death of protesters during the revolution. The 38m-high clock on the Avenue Habib Bourguiba in Tunis is nicknamed ‘Big Ben Ali’ by some because it was erected in 2001 by the dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, whose 23 years in power were marked by the proliferation of clock monuments in Tunisia’s public … © 2021 Deutsche Welle | Tunisia's press was censored. Following Ben Ali’s departure, Tunisian prosecutors opened an investigation into the finances of Ben Ali and his relatives, and Switzerland agreed to freeze any of Ben Ali’s assets in Swiss banks. He died, still in Saudi Arabia, in 2019. In July he received another life sentence after being convicted at a second trial for his role in the killing of protesters in northern Tunisia and Tunis. Then-President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled Tunisia since 1987, initially refused to make concessions to the protesters. Omissions? For many Tunisians, the only option to escape creeping poverty is the dangerous journey to Europe. Cafes, such as Le Parlement in Tunis, have become a forum for discussions and debates spurred on by the revolution. "This is what unemployment looks like," says one of the regulars inside. A landmark law, which came into effect in February, made violence against women a criminal offence. On the 10th anniversary of the day that Tunisia’s President Ben Ali fled the country following weeks of protests, our writer looks back at the days … And quality feature journalism exclusive content ambassador to Poland is now director of Beity, only. 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