Zine El Abidine Ben Ali were sentenced to 35 years in prison after being found guilty of theft and unlawful possession of cash and jewelry. The verdict also included a penalty of 91 million Tunisian dinars (approximately €50 million) that Ben Ali was required to pay. This verdict was dismissed as a "charade" by some Tunisians dissatisfied with the trial and as a "joke" by Ben Ali's lawyer. The sentences were to take immediate effect, although Ben Ali and his wife were living in Saudi Arabia and the Saudi government ignored Tunisia's requests to extradite them. In November 2016, Ben Ali made a statement via
Mohammed El Alaoui Mohammed El Alaoui "Sharif" Sidi Mohammed Alaoui (, born 7 July 1974 in Tangiers) is an Alaouite sharif and the current Chamberlain () of king Mohammed VI. He is reportedly a very close friend of the monarch, in addition to being his distant Alaouite cousin. Sharif Sidi Mohammed Alaoui is the son of "Sharif Moulay Zine El Abidine Alaoui" (Alaouite sharif and diplomat) and "Sharifa Lalla Oum Keltoum Alaoui". His mother Lalla Oum Keltoum is the daughter of "Prince Moulay El Hassan ben El Mehdi, the son of Sultan Mohammed IV (r. 1859-1873) and "Princess Lalla Fatima Zohra Azizia", the