Halima Ben Ali, a daughter of former Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, was arrested in the Paris region on Tuesday, September 30, at the request of Tunisian authorities.
According to a French judicial source, she is scheduled to appear before the Paris public prosecutor’s office on Wednesday to be formally notified of the provisional arrest request. A magistrate will then determine whether she is placed under extradition custody or released under judicial supervision, ahead of a later hearing before the Court of Appeal. Specific charges filed by Tunisian prosecutors have not yet been disclosed.
Halima Ben Ali belongs to the family circle that controlled both political and economic power during her father’s 23-year rule, which ended with the Arab Spring in 2011. Since then, Tunisian courts have issued multiple arrest warrants against the exiled family members, who face convictions for crimes like voluntary homicide, abuse of power, and embezzlement of public funds.
This arrest marks a renewed push by Tunis to recover misappropriated assets and pursue accountability for the former ruling clan. Judicial cooperation with France remains sensitive due to strict legal standards for extradition, but the move underscores Tunisia’s determination to seek justice over a decade after the revolution.
MK/sf/lb/abj/APA