Numerous judges, attorneys, and members of civil society demonstrated against President Kais Saied’s removal of more than 50 judges a year ago on Thursday in Tunis.
The protesters criticized the “stranglehold” that the administration had over the judiciary.
Many of President Kais Saied’s most well-known detractors have been taken into custody by the authorities since mid-February.
“Several attorneys working on significant matters that are of public interest have told us that the judges looking into them are terrified and have threatened to have their cases dismissed if they don’t quit. Unfortunately, the judges were told to stop looking into cases, and we state that we are against these customs that were prevalent under [late President Zine El Abidine, Ed.] Ben Ali.
The head of the Tunisian Magistrates’ Association, Anas Hamadi, declared, “We do not want these practices to recur”.
After assuming complete authority on July 25, 2021, Mr. Saied abolished the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (CSM) in the early months of 2022 and replaced it with a temporary council whose members he appointed.
The President chooses magistrates in accordance with the new Constitution, which he had promulgated in the summer of 2022. Previously, the SJC possessed this authority.
