Rally kicks off in Tripoli to denounce verdicts issued against Islamists

Following Friday prayers, a rally kicked off from al-Amira Mosque in Tripoli, in protest against the verdicts issued by the Judicial Council against the Islamists involved in the Tal and al-Bahsas crimes, mainly against Tark Merhi.                    

The protesters roamed the streets of Tripoli raising black flags and banners calling for the release of the Islamists.            

On Tuesday the 6th of August, the Supreme Judicial Council, headed by Judge Jean Fahed, issued the verdicts in the case of Tal and al-Bahsas crimes in Tripoli that took place on the 13th of August 2008 and left several killed and injured.                                  

In this context, the verdict issued included a death sentence against Abdel Ghani Jawhar, Obeid Moubarak Abdel Qafil, Ossama al-Chahabi, Ghazy Abdallah and Abdel Rahman Awad for being fugitives from justice and 15 years of hard labor for Abdel Karm Mustafa, Rashid Mustafa, Tarek Merhi, Khaled al-Jaber, Mohammad Salim Khodor, Nader al-Ali, Hamza al-Qassem, Mohmmad Azzam and Ayman al-Hendawi.                       

The council’s decision has sparked anger among the Islamists’ relatives who have been staging protests and sit-ins calling for their release.