Tunisia: Chokri Belaid Assassination Trial Starts

The first trial hearing into Chokri Belaid's assassination was held in the Tunisian capital, Tunis, on Tuesday.



Thirty people are accused of being involved in the leftist politician's assassination.



Belaid, an important post-revolution opposition politician, was killed in front of his home in February 2013.



The Tunisian government said Tuesday that his assassination was "a crime against the nation, and could lead the country into a new cycle of violence and terrorism."



According to judicial sources, the suspects are accused of premeditated murder, incitement to commit terrorist crimes, membership of a terrorist organization, raising money for terrorism, and supplying arms and explosives to the benefit of organizations connected with terrorist crimes.



Hundreds of lawyers and journalists attended the hearing, while dozens of people gathered outside the courthouse. - Tunus