Imed Trabelsi sentenced to 18 years in prison and fined over 150 thousand dinars

Imed Trabelsi, nephew of the ousted President's wife was sentenced, on Friday, by the Tunis Court of First Instance to 18 years and two months in prison and fined over 150 thousand dinars in the case of bad cheques.According to an informed source, his lawyer Wissem Saidi requested postponing the hearing but the court deemed it unnecessary and decided to pronounce the verdict. Imed Trabelsi, who appeared before the court, continues a hunger strike he had started last November 8 "to protest against the absence of conditions of fair trial." The court acquitted Mourad Trabelsi after the presentation by his lawyer of evidence of payment of cheques and decided to postpone hearing in the case against Mohamed Moncef Trabelsi.