Suha Arafat has said she has faith in Tunisia's judiciary Suha Arafat’s Tunisian lawyer, Monther Al-Sayeghy, told ‘Arabstoday’ that the decision to issue the international arrest warrant against Arafat was a rushed decision and hoped that it will be revoked.
Especially as his client is not anymore associated with “Carthage International School”, as she gave up her partnership to Asma’a Mahjob, Layla Trablesi’s neice after she discovered some “illegal and illegitimate” procedures had taken place.
Soha said that she was surprised to be accused, and considered herself to be “one of the former regime’s victims.”
Her lawyer also confirmed that Arafat hasn’t received an official warrant, and she was surprised by the news on some websites.
The lawyer has emphasised that through his research, he discovered that many people have filed suits against the former president and his wife, including the school issue.
Al-Sayegh said in an exclusive statement to “Arabstoday’ that the file was opened primarily through the fact-finding committee on corruption and bribery.
He emphasised that issuing the international warrant against Suha Arafat was a rushed decision, and she could have been considered as a witness and attend to give her testimony, confirming that she should have been called through her embassy in Tunis.
He also claimed that his client was innocent and that she has given up her partnership in the school a long time ago.
Suha, the widow of the Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat, has expressed her confidence and trust in the Tunisian judiciary. “It’s the most honorable revolution in the modern history,” she said referring to the Tunisian movement that soon inspired countries across the Arab world.
A Tunisian court issued an international arrest warrant against Arafat for alleged corruption dating back to 2006, when she founded the Carthage International School in Tunis with the country's former first lady Leila Trabelsi.
She questioned the reason behind choosing this specific time to accuse her, which coincides with the UNESCO’s recognition of the Palestinian state.
This was the first time that Arafat gave a statement to the Tunisian media since she left Tunisia.
She said in a phone call with Tunisian TV: “I will face everyone who accuses me of having joint projects with Layla ben Ali, the same way I faced all the threats by Ben ali’s allies, specially Abdel Wahab Abdallah, who was the prime minister."
She also confirmed that said she severed her links to the school in 2007 and had documents to prove that she had sold her shares to Asma Mahjoub, the niece of the former first lady.
Suha Arafat, in an exclusive interview with Arabstoday,explained that she had nothing to do with the International School which she founded with Trabelsi, and she officially gave up her partnership in the school to Asmaa Mahjoub, Mrs. Leila Ben Ali’s niece.
Arafat also revealed that she had to take a 300,000 dinar loan from "The Tunisian Bank of Housing". She later received a call from France’s ambassador to Tunisia Serge Degallaix who said: "There is a document that’s arrived at the French embassy accusing you and Mrs. Leila Ben Ali of planning to shut down the French school in the capital, in order to increase the popularity of your school, which teaches French."
Arafat then called Leila Ben Ali and told her of Degallaix's anger, to which Leila Ben Ali replied "the French Ambassador has nothing to do with this issue, this is our country, and we do what we want". At this stage Mrs. Suha asked to give up her partnership in the school.
After that, Leila Trabelsi signed away Arafat’s shares in the school, and took care of the loan as well.
A Palestinian diplomat in Tunisia expressed his sorrow and regret for taking advantage of the “international school in Carthage” to abuse the reputation of the Palestinian president Yasser Arafat , emphasising that Soha Arafat is a victim of an unfair accusation.