Chokri Belaid assassination case: hearing adjourned

The 5th Criminal Chamber of Tunis Court of First Instance decided Friday to suspend a hearing in Chokri Belaid assassination case in order to consider a request for a postponement submitted by lawyer Yassine Triki, recently appointed to defend the accused Mohamed Amine Guesmi. Triki requested the postponement to consult the case file and prepare his client's defence. This request was deemed logical by the President of the Criminal Division and postponement was granted. The defendants - a total of 23, including 6 at liberty- were present at Friday's hearing, except fro Mohamed Aouadi, Ezzedine Abdellaoui, Mohamed Omri and Ahmed Melki, also known as "Somali". Taken from prison to the court, the latter still refuse to appear before the court, choosing to wait in its custody cell. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse