Tunis – Court of First Instance
The Criminal Chamber of the Court of First Instance in Tunis issued its preliminary rulings this evening regarding the controversial case of the death of former Member of Parliament Jilani Daboussi. The verdict follows an extensive session involving the interrogation of the defendants and defense arguments that lasted over three hours.
Details of the Sentences: The court sentenced the former Minister of Justice and Ennahdha leader, Noureddine Bhiri, to 4 years in prison. A similar sentence of 4 years in prison was also handed down to Ennahdha leader Mondher Ounissi.
Regarding other parties involved in the case, the court sentenced a retired former prosecutor from the Tunis Court of Appeal to two years in prison with a stay of execution (suspended sentence). A former doctor at Mornaguia Civil Prison received a similar sentence of two years in prison with a stay of execution.
Legal Status of Former Health Minister Abdellatif Mekki: As for Abdellatif Mekki, who was appearing before the court while at liberty, the Chamber decided to strike out the case against him for the time being. This legal step is due to Mekki’s filing of an appeal in cassation against the decision of the Indictment Chamber, which halts proceedings against him pending the final decision of the Court of Cassation.
The list of defendants in this high-profile case included former officials from the justice and health sectors, as well as political figures, prosecuted in connection with the circumstances surrounding the death of Jilani Daboussi.
