Tunisian judges on third day of strike

Tunisian judges on Wednesday entered their third day of a one-week strike to protest against President Kais Saied's firing of 57 of their colleagues.

Almost 100% of Tunisian judges have taken part in the strike, excluding terrorism cases, said Rawda Al Qrafi to Altra Tunis on Thursday.

The judges reject Saied’s interference in the judicial system. “This is a tyrannical decision. The judiciary is a small community and we know each other. The majority of these judges are clean, and such a decision only targets their reputation and livelihoods,” Ahmed Abidi, a judge disposed by Saied’s decree, told National News.

Early in February, Saied dissolved the Tunisian Superior Council of the Judiciary, an independent judiciary authority, over accusations of belonging to the Ennhada Islamic movement. Days later he issued a decree to establish a temporary Supreme Council of the Judiciary. He also provided himself the authority to sack judges and banned strikes in the judiciary. 

On Monday, Saied replaced 13 governors ahead the scheduled strike led by the powerful the Tunisian General Labor Union (UGTT) on June 16. Meanwhile, a national dialogue on reforming the constitution is being held including the UGTT, the lawyers’ union, the Federation of Industry and Trade, and the Tunisian League of Human Rights, excluding all the political parties.