Contents of the United States diplomatic cables leak (Middle East) by nepotism", referring to a 17 July 2009 cable. The cable stated, "Corruption in the inner circle is growing." Another from 23 June 2008 said "corruption in Tunisia is getting worse". "The New York Times" suggested the cables about corruption were one of the reasons behind the overthrow of president Ben Ali in the 2010–2011 Tunisian protests. According to Robert Godec, the US Ambassador to Tunisia, Zine el Abidine Ben Ali, President of Tunisia, and his government have "lost touch with the Tunisian people". Furthermore, they "tolerate no advice of criticism whether domestic or international". Godec also reports that "[even]
Timeline of the Arab Spring former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to life in prison, by an Egyptian court. On 13 June, the former Tunisian president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali was sentenced to prison, by a Tunisian court. On 16th & 17th June, the Egyptian people voted in the 2nd round of a presidential run-off election, in which Mohammed Morsi received the most votes. On 24 June 2012, Egypt's election commission announced that Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Morsi had won Egypt's presidential runoff. Morsi won by a narrow margin over Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister under deposed leader Hosni Mubarak. The commission