Salim Ben Hamidane

Salim Ben Hamidane was born on 12 May 1969 in El May, Djerba, Tunisia.[2] Due to their support of Salah Ben Youssef, his family was persecuted by former President Habib Bourguiba.[2]

He attended the University of Sousse, where he led the chapter of the Union Générale des Etudiants de Tunisie (UGET).[2] He was harassed by the police under former President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, and fled Tunisia in exile.[2] He lives in Libya, Sudan and Lebanon, and studied Law in Beirut.[2] He was arrested, tortured and threatened with deportation to Tunisia by the Syrian intelligence, and left for France in 1995.[2] He was granted political asylum in 1998.[2] He attended Paris Descartes University, where he received a B.A. in International Economic Law and Development and a PhD in Public Law. His thesis dealt with Islam and the State of Law.[2]

In 2001, he became a founding member of the Congress for the Republic political party, and a member of the Executive Office of the International Organization of Tunisian Refugees.[2] He was also appointed Deputy Director of the United Nations Forum for Democracy and Development.[2] He is also a member of the Arab Society for the Defense of Human Rights.[2]

On 20 December 2011, he joined the Jebali Cabinet as Minister of State Domains and Land Affairs.[2]