Four people sentenced to death in Tunisia for the assassination of opponent Chokri Belaïd in 2013

The assassination of the left-wing activist led to a deep political crisis. Several other defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two years to life.

The affair shocked Tunisia and caused a serious political crisis. Four people were sentenced to death in the trial for the assassination of Tunisian left-wing opponent Chokri Belaïd in 2013, Wednesday March 27.

Some 23 people were indicted for the assassination of the 48-year-old lawyer, who was shot dead in his car, in front of his home, on February 6, 2013. The Tunisian authorities announced in February 2014 the death of Kamel Gadhgadhi , considered the main author of the assassination of Chokri Belaïd, during an anti-terrorist operation.

Jihadists linked to the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the murder as well as that, six months later, of MP Mohamed Brahmi, another left-wing figure. The two opponents criticized the policies of Ennahdha, an Islamo-conservative party which dominated Parliament and the government after the Tunisian revolution of 2011, until a coup in 2021 by current President Kaïs Saïed by which he full powers are granted.

Ennahdha accused of indulgence

Although the Tunisian justice system continues to hand down death sentences, a de facto moratorium has been applied since 1991. The court of first instance of Tunis also sentenced two defendants to life imprisonment, handing down sentences ranging from 2 to 120 years. of imprisonment, and acquitted five people, even if they remain prosecuted in other cases.

Kaïs Saïed had made the assassination of the two “martyrs” a national cause, and had ordered in June 2022 the dismissal of dozens of magistrates, some of whom are suspected, according to him, of having obstructed the investigation. In February 2023, the Ministry of Justice announced the establishment of a commission responsible for a study “in-depth” on the police and judicial investigations and prosecutions into these assassinations.

Those close to Chokri Belaïd accused Ennahdha of having at least shown “indulgent” towards the discourse of extremist Islamists which had developed at the time. Ennahdha responded to these criticisms by saying it had classified the Salafist jihadist movement Ansar al-Sharia as a terrorist organization after the assassinations of the two opponents.