Tunisia Sentences 4 to Death Over Pivotal 2013 Assassination
Tunisia Sentences 4 to Death Over Pivotal 2013 Assassination
Four individuals have been sentenced to death, while two others have received life imprisonment, for their involvement in a murder that sparked widespread unrest in Tunisia. The assassination of Chokri Belaid, the leader of the Popular Front coalition, served as a symbol of the country’s early challenges in transitioning from dictatorship to democracy after the Arab Spring uprisings in 2011.
Belaid, a prominent critic of the Islamist party Ennahda, was assassinated in 2013, leading to a series of violent episodes and protests. These events highlighted Tunisia’s struggle to reconcile its secular traditions with the resurgence of religious ultraconservatism. The criminal court responsible for handling terrorism cases has issued a total of 23 sentences related to Belaid’s murder, ranging from two to 120 years in addition to the death penalties and life sentences.
Among those sentenced for the assassination were members of Ansar al-Sharia, a radical Islamist group. The aftermath of the assassinations and the subsequent unrest plunged Tunisia into a political crisis. However, a quartet of civil society groups successfully negotiated with various parties to prevent the unraveling of the nascent government’s institutions.
President Kais Saied has made bringing Belaid’s killers to justice a priority. However, his administration has also suppressed protests by Belaid’s supporters, including on the anniversary of his assassination in 2021. Ultimately, two dozen defendants were charged in this complex case, which took years to investigate and bring to trial. One defendant died in prison, and five were acquitted. The dismissals were based on the similarity of sentences previously handed down in other cases.
It is worth noting that Tunisia has not carried out any executions since 1991. Nevertheless, President Saied has expressed his support for reviving capital punishment for certain crimes, including murder.
