Death Sentences Issued in Tunisia for 2013 Political Assassination

After a lengthy investigation, four individuals are sentenced for the murder of opposition leader Chokri Belaid, reigniting debates on justice and political dynamics.

Four individuals were sentenced to death and two to life imprisonment for the 2013 assassination of Tunisian opposition leader Chokri Belaid, sparking controversy and highlighting the nation's political turmoil.
The sentences come after a decade-long investigation into Belaid's murder, which was claimed by jihadists loyal to the Islamic State group, and have reignited discussions about Tunisia's judicial system and political accountability.
Despite a de facto moratorium on capital punishment in Tunisia since 1991, death sentences are still issued, particularly in terrorism cases, although they are effectively commuted to life terms.
The assassination of Belaid, a fierce critic of the Islamist party Ennahdha, had led to significant protests and was a critical moment in Tunisia's post-Arab Spring political landscape.
Ennahdha, the party previously accused of leniency towards extremists and implicated by some in Belaid's murder, welcomed the trial's conclusion, asserting it proved their innocence.