(MENAFN- Gulf Times) The trial of 24 people accused of links to the 2013 assassination of prominent Tunisian opposition figure Chokri Belaid opened briefly yesterday but was postponed until October 30, a prosecution spokesman said.
"At the request of the plaintiff and the defence of the accused, the tribunal has decided to postpone the trial to October 30," Sofiene Sliti said.
The court rejected demands for some of the suspects to be released, Sliti added.
Almost 200 lawyers, as well as police in plainclothes and journalists, attended the hearing, as dozens of people protested outside, chanting: "Tunisia is free! Terrorism out!"
To avoid the crowds, the session was held in a hall on the first floor of the Palace of Justice in Tunis, rather than in a main courtroom.
Lawyer Slah Hajri told the judge that the hall was not the appropriate setting for the "historic trial that the Tunisians are waiting for".
"We will find out today whether or not justice will be served. There will be signs on whether there is a will to serve justice," Belaid's widow Basma Khalfaoui said earlier.
Belaid, who was gunned down outside his home on February 6, 2013, was a staunch left-wing critic of the then ruling Ennahda party, a moderate Islamist movement.
The suspects face several charges, including "incitement to commit terrorist crimes" and "membership of groups linked to a terrorist organisation", one of their lawyers said.
They are also suspected of providing information and funds to people known for "terrorist activity", as well as weapons and explosives to others with links to "terrorists".
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