Tunisia’s ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has said that he was tricked into leaving the country for Saudi Arabia during a popular uprising earlier this year.
In a statement released through his lawyer, Ben Ali also denied allegations levied against him during a trial in absentia that began in Tunis on Monday.
The former ruler, who had been in power for 23 years before he was unseated by mass demonstrations in January, said that he had been taking his family to Saudi Arabia for protection and had planned to return immediately.
However, he said that the pilot disobeyed orders and the plane left Riyadh without him. “I was duped into leaving Tunis,” Ben Ali said, according to the statement.
Ben Ali is being tried with possessing 2 kg (4.4 pounds) of drugs, $27 million in cash, and weapons. However, the aging former dictator said that the weapons were gifts from other heads of state and that the money and drugs were planted in his presidential palace after his departure.
If found guilty, he could face up to 20 years in jail. However a successful sentencing would require that he be extradited from Saudi Arabia.
A statement released through his Beirut-based lawyers said that the charges were politically motivated.
“He would like everyone to know this criminal prosecution is only a false and shameful image of victor’s justice,” the statement said.
“Is the purpose behind that [trial] to divert the attention of Tunisians from the turmoil that nobody can accuse him of or hold him responsible for?
“He knows that every new political authority wants to blame its predecessor and hold it responsible for difficulties it fails to resolve.”
“He hopes from his heart that Tunisia escapes chaos and darkness and continues on its path towards modernity,” the statement said.
The charges were brought against Ben Ali by the country’s interim government. The former dictator is also being investigated over allegations that he gave an order to security forces to fire on protesters. In the statement, Ben Ali also denied those allegations, saying that the claims could be disproven by looking at records of communications between his office and other government departments.
