Tunisian Thala and Kasserine victims' case adjourned

Martyrs’ families Tunis – Nabil Zaghdoud The Tunisian Military Criminal Court in Kef (north-western Tunisia) on Monday adjourned the hearing of the Thala and Kasserine Martyrs’ case to March 12, angering victims' families who decided to head to the Algerian border, protesting what they called the “weakness of the judiciary”, according to Kef local radio.
The session witnessed considerable debate between defence lawyers and plaintiffs over the presence of victims’ families in the courtroom. The defence decided to withdraw from the session protesting the attendance of families, as the court decided in the last session to ban them of attending the sessions after harassing and insulting the defence lawyers during the last session.  
Sharaf Al-Din Qaleel, one of the victims' families lawyers told the Tunisian News Agency, that the court's decision to adjourn the trial without consultation was in violation of criminal law.
In his statement, he described the court decision as “negative”, adding that the court refused the families' requests to hear the witnesses in the case.
Qaleel also pointed out that the court decision disappointed the victims’ families which, according to them, exposed the Tunisian authorities’ unwillingness to try those responsible for the deaths.
He also said that the families threatened to head to Algerian borders, protesting the court decision.
Case proceedings were initiated on November 28, and the second hearing took place on December 12. The trial was initially conducted in Kassrine’s court, but was later transferred to a Kef military court. Civilians are not normally allowed to attend military court proceedings; however a law was passed on September 16 of last year permitted looser attendance regulations.
During the Tunisian uprising, clashes between protestors and the police resulted in 42 casualties and 97 being wounded.
Forty-three people have been charged for their involvement in this case, among them the ousted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, the former Minister of Interior Rafiq Belhaj Kassem, former General Manager of the Intervention Units Jalel Boudrigua, General Manager of Public Security Lotfi Zwawi, the Chief of the Presidential Guard, and others who directly or indirectly authorised the use of violence against peaceful demonstrators.