A Tunisian court has handed down death sentences to four individuals and life imprisonment to two others for their involvement in the assassination of prominent political figure Chokri Belaïd in 2013.
Chokri Belaïd was found shot dead in his car in Tunis, sparking widespread condemnation. As a leftist politician, he vocally criticised the ruling Ennahda party, accusing it of ignoring extremist violence against secularists.
While Tunisia retains the death penalty for serious offences, executions have not been carried out since 1990, with sentences often commuted to life imprisonment.
A total of 23 individuals faced charges related to Belaïd’s murder. Following 15 hours of deliberation, the court announced the verdict live on national television.
The assassination of Chokri Belaïd, along with that of another opposition figure, Mohamed Brahmi, six months later, was claimed by groups affiliated with the Islamic State. These killings ignited widespread protests across Tunisia, marking a significant chapter in the aftermath of the Arab Spring uprising.
Tunisia is presently led by President Kaïs Saïed, whose actions, including the dissolution of key institutions and the suspension of parliament, have drawn criticism, with some labelling him an autocrat.