Born in Moknine on 31 March 1948, Ben Salah attended primary and secondary school in Tunisia.[2] At the age of 20, he moved to Paris and attended the University of Paris, where he earned a degree in journalism. After his studies, he moved to Switzerland and worked as a teacher in Paudex and Moudon, leading lessons in French and history.[2]
In 1987, Ben Salah received the Prix de la meilleure œuvre franco-maghrébine for Retour d'exil.[2] In 1992, he was awarded the Schiller Prize for Lettres scellées au président[3] and in 1999 he won the Prix Lipp Suisse [fr] for Le harem en péril.[4] In 2004, he won the Prix des écrivains vaudois, awarded by the Association vaudoise des écrivains [fr].[5] In 2006, he won the special jury prize of the COMAR d'Or for La Mort du Sid,[6] and in 2012 he won the same award for Les Caves du minustaire.[7] A member of several associations, mostly notably of which included the Olten Group.[2]
Ben Salah died in Moudon, on 14 October 2024, at the age of 76.[8]