Tunisia-Ben Ali clan will not recover the funds frozen in Switzerland”, reassures Chief Litigation Officer

The Ben Ali family will not recover funds placed in Switzerland, even after the expiration of legal deadlines, reassures Chief Litigation Officer

Speaking to the TAP,Abbess emphasised the continuation of judicial proceedings to recover these Tunisian funds.

Although the Swiss side plans to lift the administrative freeze, Tunisia is still capable to recover these funds, he added.

Abbess pointed out that the Tunisian judiciary will issue, as soon as possible, the ultimate ruling convicting those affected by the freezing, so that Tunisia can retrieve the said funds, valued at about €60 million, equivalent to 180 million dinars (MD).

“The lifting of the administrative freeze on looted assets does not mean that they will be made available to the Ben Ali’s family,” he remarked.

He added that part of the frozen funds has been delivered to Tunisia, through arrangements with certain people touched by the freeze including Sofiene Ben Ali and Montassar Mehrzi and that the funds of Dorsaf Ben Ali are being returned.

He said the Swiss authorities have transmitted a note to the Tunisian authorities, notifying them of the possibility of relying on judgments in absentia handed down by the Tunisian judiciary against persons affected by the freeze, accompanied by a note explaining the restitution process.

He added that the case concerns nine people, including deposed president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, Leila Trabelsi, Slim Chiboub, Sofiene Ben Ali, Sirine Ben Ali, Dorsaf Ben Ali, Montassar Mahrzi and Belhassen Trabelsi, claiming that two-thirds of the frozen funds (37 million euros) go to the latter.