Tunis: The investigating judge in charge of the "conspiracy against state security" case decided on April 12 to close the investigation, Hanen Gaddes, spokesperson for the judicial anti-terrorism division told TAP on Tuesday. "The news spread by certain media outlets that the procedures and deadlines set by law have been violated is unfounded," she assured. The defence lawyer for the detainees in the case, Islem Hamza, said at a press conference on Tuesday that the 14-month legal period of pre-trial detention for the defendants would end at midnight on Friday, April 19, 2024. According to the defence lawyer, this maximum 14-month period cannot be extended because the Indictment Chamber did not refer the case to the Criminal Chamber. The defence lawyer pointed out that the Defence Committee is still waiting for the decision on the closure of the investigation in order to know the exact charges against the accused and thus be able to prepare its report and submit its objections. Hanen Gaddes told TAP that all the procedures and deadlines laid down by law had indeed been respected, "contrary to what certain parties are claiming in order to influence public opinion". She stressed that the procedures followed in the "conspiracy" case were those prescribed by the Code of Criminal Procedure, adding that the judge in charge of the case had decided to maintain the precautionary measures taken in connection with the investigation, including the decision to ban media coverage of the case. On April 4, the Indictment Chamber of the Tunis Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the first investigating judge of the Judicial Anti-Terrorism Division to refuse to release the defendants. Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse