Muhammad al-Mazali in Tunisia after 15 years in exile

An official, and sources from the family of the former Tunisian Prime minister Muhammad Mazali, said that Mazali yesterday returned back to Tunisia following 15 years he had spent in exile. He praised President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali over what he had described the calm political atmosphere.

Mazalai ( 77 year old) who returned back on Tuesday evening, occupied the post of the prime minister in Tunisia from 19881- 1986 under the rule of the former President al-Habib Bourguiba. After difference with Bourguiba, al-Mazali fled via Algeria to Switzerland by the beginning of 1987, just before a sentence was released against him in absentia for 15 year imprisonment on charges of "mal- administration and stealing public funds." Al-Mazali did not talk about this verdict. However, political sources said that the court of cassation canceled the charges recently.

In a statement, Mazali said he is deeply happy to return back home, under calm political environment provided by President Bin Ali.