Tunisian court rules on Belaid’s assassination
A Tunisian court sentenced four people to death and two people to life in prison for their involvement in the murder of Political leader Chokri Belaid 11 years ago, reports Asharq Al-Awsat plus agencies.
The verdict was announced live on television on the 27th of March, after fifteen hours of deliberation.
Belaid was a left politician who had been a fierce critic of the Islamist Ennahda party. He was found shot dead in his car in the capital Tunis on the 7th of February 2013.
Those involved in the assassination of Belaid belonged to the terrorist group Ansar al-Sharia, who were classified as terrorists by the government in August 2013.
A criminal court has since handed down 23 sentences for those who participated in Belaid’s death. The punishments ranged from death penalties to life sentences, spanning 2-120 years.
Although Tunisia hands out death sentences for the gravest crimes, no executions have gone ahead since 1990. Instead, they are usually commuted to life terms.
Six months after Belaid’s assassination, Mohammed Brahmi, another leftist was shot dead by gunmen.
Two years after the pro-democracy Arab Spring uprising had begun, these murders sparked mass demonstrations from outraged Tunisians in the Maghreb and the Middle East.
READ: State Department concerns over Saied’s Tunisia
Dozens of Belaid supporters gathered near Tunis court since March 26th demanding justice. They chanted slogans such as “Chokri is always alive” and “We are loyal to the blood of the martyrs.”
Though many speculate, the Ennahda party strongly deny any connection to the assassination. They stated that “The details concluded by the judicial circles clearly show evidence of the innocence of the Ennahda.”
They added that the verdict should restore respect to those who have been affected by false political accusations, especially the leader of Ennahda, Rached Ghannouchi.
READ: Tunisia: Interim Ennahda leader on trial for terror charges
Asharq Al-Awsat/ Agencies.
