Tunisia grants exiled ex-dictator Ben Ali be buried at home

The Tunisian government on Friday said it would allow the country’s late autocrat Zine-Abidine Ben-Ali to be buried in his homeland after his death in exile in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this month, Ben Ali was admitted to a hospital in Saudi Arabia due to an unspecified illness. The ex-dictator died on Thursday at a Saudi hospital at the age of 83, according to his lawyer.

Ben Ali led the country for 23 years and was credited with delivering stability and some economic prosperity. But he received widespread criticism for suppressing political freedoms and for widespread corruption. His tenure was marred by massive human rights abuses and a draconian crackdown on dissent.

A 2011 popular revolt had forced Ben Ali to flee to Saudi Arabia.

“The government will respond to a request for burying the ex-president in Tunisia in case his family asks for this, the government will work to ensure that the funeral arrangements will be conducted under the best circumstances,” an unnamed source in the government told Tunisia’s state news agency TAP late Thursday.

There has been no comment from Ben Ali’s family.

Before his death, he had asked to be buried in the Saudi holy city of Mecca, according to Tunisia media. There has been yet no official word in Saudi Arabia about his funeral.

Ben Ali’s death came days after Tunisia held its second democratic presidential election since his ouster.