Four sentenced to death in Tunisia over 2013 assassination of politician Belaid
Four people have been sentenced to death in Tunisia over the assassination of a prominent leftist politician.
Chokri Belaid, 48, was shot dead outside his home in February 2013. He was one of the most vocal critics of Ennahda, the ruling party at the time.
The court also handed down jail sentences of two to 120 years to 19 others.
Five people were not sentenced owing to previous convictions in terrorism-related cases, Aymen Chtiba, deputy public prosecutor in the antiterrorism judicial division, told state-owned TV station Al Wataniya yesterday.
Mr Belaid was the leader of the leftist Democratic Patriots’ Unified Party, better known as Watad.
Investigations into his assassination had stalled. The case was reopened last month after a former investigating judge was arrested on suspicion of concealing files.
Ennahda has been accused of being complicit in the assassination of opponents by an alleged “secret apparatus” within state security institutions.
The allegations were made by Mr Belaid, politician Mohamed Brahmi, assassinated in July 2013, and the Defence Committee, which was formed by the families of the two men.
Ennahda also faced allegations of undermining the independence of the judiciary and being the primary force behind delays in the investigation into Mr Belaid’s death.
He was assassinated amid an increase in extremism and terrorist attacks in Tunisia.
His leftist ideology meant he faced threats and public accusations of blasphemy, some from senior Ennahda officials including Sahbi Atig and Habib Ellouze.
Many Tunisians have accused Ennahda of being indirectly involved in Mr Belaid’s death by encouraging followers to condemn him.
The party has repeatedly dismissed the claims.
Ennahda leaders classified Al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Al Sharia as a terrorist group after the assassination of Mr Brahmi.
Police killed several alleged members of group suspected of involvement in the killing of Mr Belaid.
Several members of Ansar Al Sharia were sentenced.