The favourite foods and bizarre eating habits of Africa’s famous dictators

Zine El Abidine Ben-Ali — Pinterest

Zine El Abidine Ben-Ali

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The former Tunisian dictator enjoyed his favourite brand of French ice cream to the extent that he would have it imported from Saint-Tropez, France on a regular basis.

Serving as President of Tunisia from 1987 until his ousting in 2011, Ben Ali ruled over Tunisia with an iron grip. He fled to Jeddah in 2011 with his second wife Leila Trabelis and children after a wave of popular protests which inspired the Arab Spring revolts.

Since his escape, Ben Ali and his wife have been convicted in absentia in several cases by Tunisian courts, mostly for corruption.

He was also sentenced to life imprisonment for the crackdown on demonstrations during the 2011 revolution, in which 338 people were killed.