A Tunisian court has sentenced former President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali and his wife Leila to 35 years in jail for embezzlement¹ and misusing² public funds.

突尼斯一家法庭以挪用、滥用公款罪判处前总统扎因·阿比丁·本·阿里和他的妻子35年有期徒刑。

The couple, who fled to Saudi Arabia in January after a popular uprising, were also fined $66m (£41m).

The one-day trial in absentia（缺席） focused on $27m of cash and jewels reportedly found inside one of their palaces.

A second case concerning Ben Ali only, which relates to the possession of drugs and weapons, was postponed³.

Ben Ali's lawyer said the verdict（结论，裁定） was politically motivated and "a joke".

The BBC's Jon Leyne in Tunis says it is unlikely that Saudi Arabia will allow the couple to be extradited（引渡） .

Ongoing⁴ investigations⁵

Five months after they were forced to leave the country, Ben Ali and Leila Trabelsi were put on trial in absentia at the Tunis criminal court.

Prosecutors⁶ said the cash and jewels, some of which had "historic value", were found in their palace in Sidi Bou Said, a town outside the capital.

After only six hours, the judge said it had been established that they had misused⁷ public money and sentenced to them prison. The sentences will take immediate⁸ effect, despite their absence.

The judge also ordered Ben Ali to pay $36m and his wife $30m.

A second case against the ex-president, involving weapons and drugs allegedly found in a presidential residence in Carthage, was postponed until to 30 June to allow his lawyers more time to prepare.

Ben Ali is also being investigated on suspicion of murder, abuse of power, trafficking of archaeological（考古学的） artefacts and money laundering⁹.

Speaking from Beirut, Ben Ali's lawyer Akram Azouri told the BBC the sentence was "a joke".

"Don't forget that the drug and the money were found three months after the president left his palace.

"And don't forget that I am the lawyer for President Ben Ali, and I requested the Tunisian authority to allow me to defend him, and the authorisation was not given to me."

Mr Azouri said the trial was a "continuation of the political judgement that has already been issued and executed".

Speaking through his lawyers on Sunday, Ben Ali mounted a defence of his 23 years as president, which many Tunisians say was marked by autocratic（专制的，独裁的） rule, corruption¹⁰ and human rights abuses.

"He would like everyone to know this criminal prosecution¹¹ is only a false and shameful¹² image of victor's justice," a statement said.

"Is the purpose behind that [trial] to divert the attention of Tunisians from the turmoil¹³ that nobody can accuse him of or hold him responsible for?

"He knows that every new political authority wants to blame its predecessor¹⁴ and hold it responsible for difficulties it fails to resolve."

On Monday, Ben Ali issued another statement saying he had taken his family to Saudi Arabia on 14 January for safety.

He said he had intended to return to Tunisia immediately, but the plane left without him, "disobeying my instructions".