Ben Ali given another jail term

Tunisia’s ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in absentia for inciting violence and murder.

The charges relate to an incident in the town of Ouardanine last January, when four men were shot trying to stop the president’s nephew fleeing Tunisia.

Ben Ali has already been handed multiple jail terms for other crimes.

The sentencing comes as Tunisia’s new government seeks to quell rioting across the country.

On Tuesday Fehmi al-Aouini, a young Tunisian shot in the head during three days of violence, died of his wounds in hospital.

The government imposed an overnight curfew in eight areas following the riots, which were sparked by an art exhibition deemed offensive to Islam and saw several police stations set on fire.

It blamed ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists for the unrest, which correspondents say is the worst since Tunisians overthrew Ben Ali early last year.

However the Salafists deny involvement.