The criminal chamber specializing in terrorism cases at the Tunis Court of First Instance decided, Friday, to postpone until December 5 the trial of several defendants in the disconnected case linked to the assassination of Chokri Belaïd and the concealment of related documents.
A new report in a sensitive file
This aspect of the case, distinct from the main case of the assassination of the left-wing leader, concerns in particular the former sacked public prosecutor, Bechir Akremi, the leader of the Ennahdha movement, Habib Ellouze, as well as other defendants.
The referral decision was taken at the request of the defense and for procedural reasons, according to judicial sources.
During the hearing, Bechir Akremi appeared by videoconference from the Mornaguia civil prison, where he is detained in connection with other cases.
One of the accused, Afif Laamouri, presented as a leader of the banned Ansar al-Sharia organization, was also present in the courtroom.
On the other hand, Habib Ellouze refused to appear in court, an attitude which aroused the disapproval of the lawyers of the civil parties.
A fragmented affair
More than twelve years after the assassination of Chokri Belaïd, emblematic figure of the Tunisian left and general coordinator of the Party of Unified Democratic Patriots (Watad), which occurred on February 6, 2013, the case continues to fragment into several legal files.
This concerns accusations of manipulation of the initial file, withholding of evidence and false administrative reports during the period when Bechir Akremi was prosecutor.
This new postponement comes after a legal phase already marked by appeal verdicts rendered on October 14, 2025, in which 23 defendants were tried.
The specialized criminal chamber at the Tunis Court of Appeal handed down sentences ranging from dismissal to capital punishment by hanging for two of the accused, in addition to long prison sentences for several others.
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