Béchir Tekkari

Béchir Tekkari is a Tunisian politician who held several positions in the administration of the deposed president, Zine el Abedine Ben Ali. Tekkari was also an active board member of the dissolved RCD (Constitutional Democratic Rally) party tied to the former president.

Tekkari was born in 1952 in Ksibet, Mediouni, where he attended primary school, before moving to Monastir to continue his education and to obtain a BA in Philosophy in 1970.  He carried on his studies at the University of Tunis, where he received a Master’s degree in Law, followed by a Ph.D in 1983, and an aggregation in Law and Political Science in 1984.  He is also a graduate of the International Institute of Human Rights in Strasbourg (France), as well as the Institute of Press and Information Science, and he holds a certificate to practice as a lawyer.

Tekkari has taught at several Tunisian and foreign universities and has also held positions in educational administration.  His history in the Tunisian judicial system stretches back to 1991, when he was appointed president of the Administrative Court.  He was subsequently installed as a member of the Constitutional Council in January 1992, before being appointed Minister of Justice in November 1999.

In 2002, Béchir Tekkari was appointed Minister of Justice and Human Rights, a position that he held until his appointment as Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research in 2010.

The ex-Minister was arrested on July 11th, due to corruption and embezzlement claims concerning “Le Grand Bleu” restaurant in Ganmarth. The widow of the former restaurant owner raised several accusations against Tekkari’s involvement with the restaurant while he was still in a position of power, however, Mr. Tekkari denied these accusations.  An additional complaint had been filed against him on May 6, 2011 for the abuse of power and the misappropriation of public property.

After his release on August 3rd, rumors circulated on Facebook and other social networking sites that Tekkari had fled Tunisia via the Monastir airport, however Interior Ministry sources affirmed that Tekkari is under a travel ban and unable to leave Tunisia’s borders.

Sources:

http://www.tap.info.tn/en/en/politics/4567-interior-ministry-former-minister-bechir-tekkari-did-not-leave-the-country-.html

http://www.businessnews.com.tn/details_article.php?t=525&a=19794&temp=1&lang=&w=

http://www.kapitalis.com/fokus/62-national/4829-tunisie-mandat-darret-a-lencontre-de-bechir-tekkari-ancien-ministre-de-la-justice-.html

http://www.tunivisions.net/arrestation-de-bechir-tekkari-ancien-ministre-de-la-justice-et-de-l-enseignement-superieur,12800.html

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/07/12/arrest-of-former-minister-bechir-tekkari/

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/08/03/former-minister-bashir-takkari-released/

http://www.tunisia-live.net/2011/08/06/a-group-of-25-lawyers-the-story-behind-bechir-tekkari%E2%80%99s-release/