French authorities have arrested Halima Ben Ali, the daughter of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, according to a report by Tunisie Telegraph citing French judicial sources.
The arrest was made in response to a request from Tunisian authorities, who are seeking Halima Ben Ali's extradition. She is scheduled to be brought before a prosecutor on October 1 to be formally notified of the extradition request. Following this, a hearing will be held before an investigating magistrate who will decide whether to place her in provisional detention or proceed with extradition.
The French side has not yet disclosed the specific reasons behind Tunisia's extradition request. It was clarified, however, that further proceedings will take place at the Court of Appeal, which specializes in extradition matters.
No official comments have yet been issued by the Tunisian authorities.
Zine El Abidine Ben Ali ruled Tunisia from 1987 until 2011, when he was ousted during popular protests that marked the beginning of the Arab Spring. After his resignation, he fled to Saudi Arabia, where he died in September 2019. His family, including his daughter Halima, left the country shortly thereafter.
From 2011 to 2014, the presidency was held by Moncef Marzouki. The former head of state is a critic of the current president, Kais Saied. Marzouki accuses Saied of establishing an authoritarian regime after the latter dissolved parliament in 2021. In 2021, a judge sentenced the former president in absentia to four years in prison, and in February 2024, a court sentenced him in absentia to eight years on charges of undermining state security and inciting Tunisians against one another. In June of this year, a Tunisian court sentenced Marzouki in absentia to 22 years in prison on charges of compromising state security.
Evgeniya Mylnikova
