The harassment, prosecution, and denial of rights of judges Tunisia for the past two years show a decline in judicial independence in the country.

Development Diaries reports that the progress made in Tunisia towards human rights after the 2011 Revolution has been significantly reversed since President Kais Saied took charge of the country on 25 July, 2021.

The erosion of judicial independence in Tunisia has become a significant concern in recent years, reflecting broader political instability and challenges to democratic governance.

President Saied enacted Decree-Law 2022, granting him the authority to remove any judge without following the proper procedures and based only on flimsy standards.

He declared the dismissal of 57 judges and prosecutors on the same day, charging them with financial corruption, impeding investigations into acts of terrorism, ‘moral corruption’, and ‘adultery’, among other offences.

President Saied’s actions since his controversial power grab in July 2021 have particularly spotlighted the decline in judicial independence.

By dissolving the Supreme Judicial Council and assuming control over the judiciary, Saied has concentrated power in the executive branch, reversing gains made since the revolution.

This move has been widely criticised domestically and internationally as a significant step backward for Tunisia’s democratic institutions.

The restructuring of the judicial oversight body under the president’s influence effectively compromises the judiciary’s ability to act as a check on executive power, leading to concerns about the fairness and integrity of the judicial process.

This decline has significant ramifications for Tunisia’s democratic government, human rights movement, and rule of law.

Development Diaries calls on President Saied to end the ongoing erosion of judicial independence in the country to reduce corruption, arbitrary governance, and human rights abuses.

Source: Amnesty International