Tunis: The trial for the assassination of Chokri Belaid at the Tunis Court of First Instance was adjourned on Tuesday for deliberations.

The court heard the defendants’ appeals, which ranged from “verdict based on the act and responsibility in the case”, “dismissal of the case”, “acquittal” and “continuity of jurisprudence”.

The verdict will be announced on Tuesday in accordance with the law, lawyer Imene Gzara told reporters.

The lawyers will then review the decisions that will be taken, especially as some of the defendants face multiple charges, such as belonging to a terrorist group and participating in the crime of murder, she added.

Gzara explained that some of the defendants in the case have already been tried for the same charges in other cases, suggesting that the case should be dismissed.

All 23 defendants were present during the session, 6 of whom were at liberty.

Of the 17 detainees transferred from the Mornaguia civil prison, three refused to appear before the judge and remained in the court
‘s detention room: Ezzedine Abdellaoui, Ahmed Malki and Mohamed Amri.

The Tunis Court of First Instance continued its examination of the Chokri Belaid assassination case on February 6. It heard several sessions of arguments from the defence lawyers of the martyr Chokri Belaid, as well as from the lawyers of the defendants in the case.

More than 30 defendants are being prosecuted in this case for “premeditated murder” and “membership of terrorist groups

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse