Tunisian Court Delivers Death Sentences in 2013 Political Assassination Case

A Tunisian court has handed down death sentences to four individuals involved in the assassination of Chokri Belaid, a prominent left-wing politician. Additionally, two others have received life sentences for their roles in the high-profile case, according to statements from the public prosecutor on Wednesday.

Belaid, who was 48 at the time of his death, was a key figure in the Popular Front coalition. He was fatally shot in his car outside his home in Tunis in February 2013, marking the country’s first political assassination in decades. The murder sparked widespread protests across Tunisia and was a significant factor in the resignation of the prime minister at the time.

A vocal critic of Ennahda, the Islamist party that ascended to power following the 2011 Arab Spring uprisings, Belaid was known for his outspoken stance against the party’s perceived leniency toward extremists. His death ignited a political crisis as Tunisia endeavored to transition to a democratic government after years of dictatorship under President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali.

Islamic extremists were blamed for Belaid’s murder in a complex case that involved charges against 23 individuals. The investigation spanned several years, culminating in Wednesday’s verdicts. Along with the four death sentences and two life imprisonments, various other defendants received sentences ranging from two to 120 years, while five were acquitted.