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EU Freezes Deposed Tunisian President's Assets

   VOA News  January 31, 2011
   Deposed Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (file photo)

Photo: Reuters

   Deposed Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (file photo)

   Europe  Union  foreign  ministers  have agreed to freeze the assets of
   deposed Tunisian President Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali and his family.
   The  move  came at the request of Tunisian authorities, and diplomatic
   sources  say  dozens  of  associates  of  the former leader could face
   similar sanctions.
   Mr. Ben AliĀ  is suspected of having siphoned off large amounts of his
   country's wealth into his own pockets during his years in power.

   It is not clear where his assets are held.
   Switzerland  on January 19 announced that it had frozen all the assets
   belonging to the deposed Tunisian leader in the country.

   Mr.  Ben  Ali was ousted on January 14 by a popular revolt in Tunisia,
   which  has  since  triggered  protests  against poverty and corruption
   around the Arab world.

   Meeting  in Brussels on Monday, EU foreign ministers also called for a
   peaceful  political  transition  in Tunisia as well as in Egypt, while
   some  cautioned  against  a takeover by radical or extremist religious
   elements.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
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