Hommam Al Nassim 
Amnesty International called on Tunisian President Kais Saied to put an end to the ongoing erosion of the independence of the judiciary in the country.
Amnesty International confirmed that Tunisia has witnessed a significant decline in the field of human rights since Saied took power on July 25, 2021, which led to the dismantling of many institutional guarantees, such as the dissolution of the Supreme Judicial Council in February 2022 and the adoption of a new constitution after a referendum held on July 25, 2022. .
The organization noted that the new constitution undermines institutional guarantees of human rights and does not provide the necessary protection for the independence and integrity of the judiciary.
On June 1, 2022, the president issued a decree allowing him to dismiss any judge based on vague notions and without following due process. On the same day, he announced the dismissal of 57 judges and prosecutors, accusing them of obstructing investigations related to terrorism, financial corruption, moral turpitude and adultery, including senior officials. Judges and prosecutors.
Despite the decision of the Tunisian Administrative Court in August 2022 ordering the reinstatement of 49 arbitrarily dismissed judges, the Ministry of Justice has not yet reinstated any of the judges to their positions.
Moreover, judges and judicial institutions who opposed the President’s measures and acted independently continue to face intimidation and harassment.
Heba Morayef, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Regional Office at Amnesty International, explained that harassment of judges and illegal interference in their work has continued since the president dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, in an attempt to stifle opposition and make accountability elusive.
The organization called on the Tunisian authorities to put an end to all practices that hinder the independence of the judiciary, and to amend or repeal laws that do not respect international standards related to judicial independence and fair trial, in line with Tunisia’s international obligations.
The organization stressed the need to restore all judges and prosecutors who were arbitrarily dismissed to their positions and provide them with compensation.
Hamadi Rahmani, one of the dismissed judges, indicated that the aim of the exemptions was to target a group of independent judges who tried to confront the attack on the principle of separation of powers by President Saied.
Khaira Ben Khalifa, who was also isolated, confirmed that her life has changed dramatically since her isolation, as her right to privacy was violated and she was denied legal remedies.
Amnesty International urged the Tunisian authorities to take urgent steps to restore confidence in the judicial system and ensure its full independence, in order to achieve justice and enhance human rights in the country.
The United Nations condemns the ‘intimidation and harassment’ of the lawyers in Tunisia