The Labor Union condemns its targeting.. The Association of Judges threatens to extend the strike and 10 international human rights organizations criticize the Tunisian President

The Tunisian General Labor Union considered that the decree of President Kais Saied to dismiss 57 judges harmed the prestige and credibility of justice in Tunisia.

While the Judges' Association threatened to extend their strike for another week until the dismissal is reversed, 10 international human rights organizations condemned the Tunisian president's decision.

The Secretary-General of the Labor Union, Noureddine Taboubi, said that the union has become a major target of the authority after it refused to participate in the dialogue called for by President Kais Saied.

The labor union's relationship with President Saeed was strained after the powerful union refused last month to participate in what it said was "a formal dialogue aimed only at recommending ready-made decisions."

The appeals court is expected to issue a decision in the coming period in a case brought by other unionists in the union to challenge the legitimacy of the union conference that re-elected the current leadership of the labor union.

Last summer, the president seized control of the executive authority in a move his opponents described as a coup, then abolished the 2014 constitution to rule by decree and dismiss the elected parliament.

This year, Saeed appointed a temporary council of the judiciary to replace the Supreme Judicial Council, which has served as the main guarantor of judicial independence since the 2011 revolution in Tunisia, which paved the way for democratic reforms.

Since the beginning of this week, Tunisia has been experiencing the impact of a general strike in all the country's courts, with the judges declaring their intention to extend the strike to more than a week in the event that the president does not reverse the decision to dismiss the judges.

"Historic success"

In a speech by the association’s president, Anas Al-Hammadi, during a press conference held yesterday in the capital, Tunis, with the participation of the Association of Young Judges, the Tunisian Judges Syndicate, and the Union of Administrative Judges, he confirmed that the judges’ strike recorded a historic success rate on its fourth day, and the suspension of work in all courts was 99%.

For his part, the head of the Judges Syndicate, Ayman Shatiba, said during the same press conference, that "the exemption is a means to destroy the judicial authority and that the independence of the judiciary has been usurped."

Shtaiba stressed that the judges' strike is not subject to any political party or party, but stems from the judges' free will, and that they do not invest in political battles.

Anas Al Hammadi (centre) and Ayman Shatiba (right) during a press conference held yesterday in the capital, Tunis (Anatolia)

In response to this escalation, the Ministry of Justice said that it will not hesitate to apply the law against anyone who deliberately disrupts the functioning of the courts and tarnishes the reputation of judges.

In a statement, the ministry said that the desire of many judges to carry out their work and hold sessions in a normal manner was recorded after they joined their workplaces and offices to accomplish their tasks within the framework of their judicial functions, but they were prevented from doing so, and were even subjected to distortion.

And last week, Saeed issued a presidential order dismissing 57 judges from their duties, on charges including changing the course of cases and obstructing investigations into terrorism files and committing financial and moral corruption, which the judges deny is true.

human rights solidarity

In a step of solidarity, ten international human rights organizations accused the Tunisian president of dealing a "strong blow to the independence of the judiciary" after the decision to dismiss the judges.

"Said's actions are an assault on the rule of law and he must immediately rescind the decree and reinstate the judges he dismissed," the organizations including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and International Alert said in a joint statement.

Tunisia has been experiencing a severe political crisis since July 25, 2021, when Said began imposing exceptional measures, including the dismissal of the government, the appointment of others, the dissolution of Parliament and the Judicial Council, and the issuance of legislation by presidential decrees.

Tunisian forces see these measures as a "coup against the constitution", while other forces see them as a "correction of the course of the 2011 revolution", which overthrew the late President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1987-2011).