Dean of Manouba University trial for opposing the niqab, verdict postponed

In Tunisia, the verdict of the dean of the faculty, accused of molesting a student, has been postponed for the fourth time.

The Court of First Instance of Manouba announced Thursday, 28 March, postponement of the verdict  until 4 April in the trial of Habib Kazdaghli, Dean of the faculty at Manouba University accused of assaulting a student. The decision was motivated by the strike of the magistrates, within the jurisdiction requesting the creation of a professional body completely independent of the executive. "I am in solidarity with striking magistrates for their independence, this is proof that they are suffering, too, the interference of political power," said Mr. Kazdaghli  to AFP.

Dean faces up to five years in prison for acts of violence committed by an official in the exercise of his functions, according to his lawyers. In March 2012, a student was excluded from the faculty for wearing a full veil. The student and a friend decided to ransack the dean's office in retaliation. One of them accuses Mr. Kazdaghli of having slapped her.

"We reject the pressures that come from religious or political authorities," said the Dean, referring to the standoff on  November 2011 between  the direction and the Salafists demanding that girl students wear the niqab. The trial of Mr. Kazdaghli is denounced by teachers, civil society and the leftist opposition accusing the government led by the Islamist Ennahdha  of wanting to Islamise Tunisian society.

A support  "Habib Kazdaghli"  committee is organizing the World Social Forum 2013 being held until  30  March in Tunis. "The shared values ​​of freedom are at the heart of the forum," commented Mr. Kazdaghli surrounded by supporters of various nationalities, including Europeans.