Tunisia's Ben Ali sentenced for incitement to murder

Tunisia's ousted president Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali has been sentenced to 20 years imprisonment in absentia for inciting violence and murder.

The charges relate to an incident in the town of Ouardanine last January, when four men were shot trying to stop the president's nephew fleeing Tunisia.

Ben Ali has already been handed multiple jail terms for other crimes.

The sentencing comes as Tunisia's new government seeks to quell rioting across the country.

On Monday, the government imposed an overnight curfew in eight regions after several violent attacks were carried out in protest at an art exhibition.

It blamed ultra-conservative Islamists known as Salafists for the violence, which saw several police stations set on fire, but they deny involvement.

Correspondents say it is the worst violence since Tunisians overthrew Ben Ali in a revolution last year that sparked uprisings across the Arab world.

Ben Ali is now in exile in Saudi Arabia, where fled with his wife in January 2011 after weeks of protests against his long rule.

Despite a request from Tunisia's government for the ex-president to be extradited to stand trial, the Saudis have refused to send him back.

The military court trying him in absentia has also found him guilty of corruption, embezzlement and possession of illegal drugs and weapons.

In this latest trial, several members of the security forces were also handed shorter sentences for their involvement in the deaths of the four youths in Ouardanine.

Ben Ali ruled Tunisia for more than 20 years.