Tunisia asks Saudi Arabia for Ben Ali extradition

Tunisia’s interim government has asked Saudi Arabia to extradite former president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in an official request Sunday after two days of demonstrations calling for the resignation of the Prime Minister. Ben Ali fled to Saudi Arabia with his family after a popular uprising pushed him out on 14 January.

AFP /Fethi Belaid

Prime Minister Mohamed Ghannouchi's government made the official request to Riyadh, according to a foreign ministry statement cited by the state news agency TAP, "following a new batch of charges against the ousted president regarding his involvement in several serious crimes”.

The government also asked for information about Ben Ali's health following reports that the 74-year-old was being treated for a stress-induced coma in Jeddah hospital.

The extradition request came as about 4,000 people gathered in central Tunis for the second day, demanding the resignation of Ghannouchi, who served as prime minister under Ben Ali since 1999.