Live Updates: 40 Day Anniversary of Chokri Belaid’s Assassination

A soldier stands guard at El Jellaz cemetery on the morning of the 40 day anniversary of Chokri Belaid’s assassination (Courtesy of @Farah_SamT)

For the 40-day anniversary of opposition leader Chokri Belaid’s assassination, thousands of supporters as well as human rights activists and political figures are expected to attend a commemorative service today for the late politician at El Jellaz cemetery in downtown Tunis. The event is starting at 1 p.m. and is organized by Belaid’s Democratic Patriots Party.

From the cemetery, those in attendance will march to Tunis’ main thoroughfare, Habib Bourguiba Avenue, where Belaid’s family members and other political leaders will give commemorative speeches in front of the Municipal Theater.

Belaid, a leftist politician and human rights activist, was shot outside his suburban home on the morning of February 6. His death sparked a series of protests across the country in the following days with tens of thousands of mourners gathered at El Jellaz cemetery for his burial service.

In the wake of his assassination, former Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali announced an initiative to form a non-partisan, technocratic government as a solution to the political crisis. His proposal failed to garner support among political parties, including his own Ennahdha party, and he resigned from his post as a result. The long-awaited cabinet reshuffle was announced March 8. The key ministries were made politically neutral in keeping with demands of the opposition as well as the ruling Ettakatol party with apolitical figures now heading the ministries of the interior, foreign affairs, and justice.

The grave of late opposition leader Chokri Belaid on the morning of the 40-day anniversary of his assassination

40 days since the assassination, Belaid’s killer has not been found yet, drawing public criticism towards the government’s handling of the investigation into his murder.

Tunisia Live will be covering today’s commemoration of the late opposition leader with up-to-the-minute updates.

3:57 p.m. Nessma TV reports that cafes along Habib Bourguiba Avenue are still open for business despite the crowds.

3:37 p.m. “O Chokri, O Hached, Ennahdha sold the country,” cries out the crowd in reference to Farhat Hached, founder of Tunisia’s main union – the UGTT.

3:32 p.m. ”Martyr, Martyr, We will not deviate from your path,” shouts the crowd in Habib Bourguiba Avenue. “We will continue the fight.”

3:28 p.m. “Leave, leave, We are all Chokri Belaid,” bellows the crowd.

3:19 p.m. Hamma Hammami, a Popular Front leader, takes to the microphone.

3:16 p.m. The new secretary general of the Democratic Patriots Party, Mohamed Jmour, is now addressing the crowd in Habib Bourguiba Avenue.

3:05 p.m. “We are the legitimacy, not… Ennahdha,” says Belaid’s widow, referring to Ennahdha members as remnants of the former ousted regime. Belaid believed in Tunisia, she adds, and knew that Tunisians wanted democracy and will reach it.

3:00 p.m. Besma Khalfaoui, Belaid’s wife, is now addressing the crowd from the platform of the truck, located in front of El Hana International Hotel.

2:51 p.m. A convoy of around 300 unionists and Popular Front representatives from the governorate of Siliana is making its way to Tunis to participate in Belaid’s commemoration, Ahmed Cheffii, assistant secretary general of the Regional Union of Siliana Workers, told Tunisian radio Shems FM.

2:41 p.m. Riot police is now lining up in front of the French Embassy on Habib Bourguiba Avenue.

2:31 p.m. A large truck with loudspeakers just pulled up in front of El Hana International Hotel, and it is expected that someone is to lead chants from the vehicle.

2:22 p.m. There are a couple thousand people now gathered in Habib Bourguiba Avenue as many are arriving from El Jellaz cemetery. So far, the situation is calm.

1:48 p.m. Leila Khaled, member of the Popular Front for the Liberation for the Liberation of Palestine, told Shems FM that even if Belaid is dead, his ideas and party will continue to live on. She is in Tunis for the occasion of the 40-day anniversary of his assassination.

1:42 p.m. A crowd is now forming in front of the Municipal Theater, and a stage is being set up.

1:28 p.m.  The ambassadors of Russia, China, Venezuela, Brazil, and Lebanon are in attendance at Belaid’s commemoration, according to Mongi Rahoui of the Democratic Patriots Party. Members of political parties from Jordan, Palestine, Bahrain, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria are also present.

1:07 p.m. The crowd is starting make its way out of El Jellaz cemetery towards Habib Bourguiba Avenue. According to footage from Tunisian radio Mosaique FM’s website, people are chanting,”The Ennahdha government, a national wound,” during their march towards the main avenue in downtown Tunis.

12:41 p.m. The crowd is chanting, “Who killed Chokri Belaid?,” and other slogans targeting Ennahdha leader Rachid Ghannouchi.

12:33 p.m. A couple thousand are now gathered at El Jellaz cemetery, and many more are on the their way up the hill on which the cemetery rests. People of all ages are in attendance. Tunisian flags and those of the Popular Front can be seen as well as large size pictures of Belaid himself.

11:21 a.m. The Ministry of the Interior announced last night a series of security measures for the commemoration of Belaid’s death. No vehicles will be allowed to park in the streets nearby El Jellaz cemetery, including Moncef Bey and Carthage streets, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It should be noted that during the funeral procession for Belaid on February 8 several cars, parked nearby the cemetery, were broken into by looters. In addition, circulation of vehicles on Carthage street is prohibited from 1 to 4 p.m.

11:11 a.m. Soldiers are already keeping guard of the cemetery’s perimeter to ensure security throughout the commemorative services.

Farah Samti, Salma Bouzid, Chris Barfield, and Roua Khlifi contributed reporting