Tunis, Tunisia – After a lengthy ten-year investigation, the justice system in Tunisia delivered its verdict on Wednesday concerning the 2013 assassination of secular opposition leader Chokri Belaid. The court sentenced four individuals to death and two to life imprisonment, reflecting the ongoing struggle between democracy and extremism in the country.
Belaid’s murder, claimed by jihadists loyal to the Islamic State group, marked a significant setback for Tunisia’s burgeoning democracy following the ousting of longtime dictator Zine El Abidine Ben Ali during the Arab Spring uprisings of 2011. The slow progress of the investigation led to allegations of obstruction against the then ruling Islamist party Ennahdha, providing justification for President Kais Saied’s controversial seizure of power in 2021.
The verdict was announced on national television after 15 hours of deliberation, with a total of 23 individuals receiving sentences ranging from two to 120 years. Prosecutor Aymen Chtiba expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating that “justice has been done.” Belaid, a vocal critic of Ennahdha, was assassinated in his car outside his residence on February 6, 2013, leading to a wave of unrest and political upheaval in Tunisia.
Jihadists associated with the Islamic State group also claimed the murder of another opposition figure, Mohamed Brahmi, six months later. In response, authorities announced the death of the suspected mastermind behind Belaid’s assassination, Kamel Gadhgadhi, during a counterterrorism operation in 2014. President Saied further intensified efforts to seek justice by dismissing numerous judges accused of impeding the investigations into the 2013 killings.
Last year, the justice ministry established a special commission to conduct an in-depth review of the police and judicial inquiries conducted over the past decade. Families and legal representatives of the accused individuals have consistently accused political parties and judges of obstructing justice, particularly targeting Ennahdha for fostering extremist ideologies in the country.
In the aftermath of the 2011 revolution, Tunisia witnessed a rise in Islamist radicalism, leading to the departure of numerous jihadist volunteers to conflict zones in Syria, Iraq, and Libya. Despite jihadist attacks in Sousse and Tunis claiming the lives of tourists and police in 2015, authorities have made significant strides in combating extremism within the country. Ennahdha, responding to criticisms of leniency, designated the formerly legal Salafist movement Ansar al-Charia as a terrorist organization.
In a statement shared on Facebook, Ennahdha welcomed the conclusion of the trial as a validation of its innocence, emphasizing the court’s verdict absolving the movement of any wrongdoing. The party denounced unfounded accusations from certain factions and political parties, asserting its commitment to upholding the rule of law and justice in Tunisia.