The Tunisian Primary Court sentences Riyad Ben Fail to 20 years in prison

The charges against the persons concerned relate to money laundering, exploitation of the characteristics of employment and professional activity and the formation of a trust for the purpose of assaulting property. These lawsuits came after allegations of financial and administrative corruption and actions in the seizure of a number of state assets.

The facts of the case date back to November 14, 2023, when security authorities arrested Riyad Ben Fadl at Tunisian Carthage International Airport after arriving from outside the country, to decide to deposit him in Mornag civilian prison for investigation. The accused had previously been tried in a separate criminal and banking case where he was initially sentenced to four years and six months in prison, before the Tunisian Court of Appeal ruled in April 2025 that the public lawsuit would be dismissed after financial reconciliation and settlement procedures were completed.

Ben Fadel's imprisonment continued against the backdrop of ongoing investigations into the confiscated property file, for trial sessions before the Tunisian Primary Court to begin on 9 February 2026. The trial continued through successive sessions until the negotiation session and the issuance of preliminary rulings.

The law allows the defence team and the public prosecutor to appeal these initially issued judgments to transfer the case file to the Tunisian Court of Appeal for further consideration.