Tunis
\nTunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, the body that deals with judicial independence, a move that raises fears about the independence of the judiciary and was sure to anger his opponents, media reported on Sunday.
\nSaied\u2019s decision caps months of his sharp criticism of the judges. Saied has frequently criticized the judiciary\u2019s delay in issuing rulings in cases of corruption and terrorism. He repeatedly said he would not allow judges to act as if they are a state, instead of being a function of the state.
\nSaied called the council a thing of the past, adding he will issue a temporary decree to the council. He gave no details about the decree.
\nLast July, Saied dismissed the government and suspended parliament, a move his opponents described as a coup. Hehas been broadly criticized after seizing power and rejecting dialogue with all political parties.
\nThe Supreme Judicial Council is an independent and constitutional institution, formed in 2016. Its powers include ensuring the independence of the judiciary, disciplining judges and granting them professional promotions.
\nLast month, Saied revoked all financial privileges for council members.
\n\u201cIn this council, positions and appointments are sold according to loyalties. Their place is not the place where they sit now, but where the accused stand,\u201d Saied said in speech in the interior ministry.
\nOn Sunday, parties and organizations, including the powerful UGTT union, will demonstrate to pressure the judiciary to hold those involved in terrorism accountable, on the ninth anniversary of the assassination of secular politician Chokri Belaid.
\nIt is expected that Saied\u2019s supporters also will protest in a second demonstration against the Supreme Judicial Council.
\n\u201cI tell Tunisians to demonstrate freely. It is your right and our right to dissolve the Supreme Judicial Council,\u201d Saied said.
\nSaied\u2019s approval of Sunday\u2019s demonstrations comes even though a government decision to ban all demonstrations remains in effect.
\nLast month, police fired water cannons and beat protesters with sticks to break up an opposition protest against Saied, whose seizure of broad powers and declared plans to redraw the constitution have cast doubt on Tunisia\u2019s decade-old democratic system, and hindered its quest for an international rescue plan for public finances.
\nThe president has initiated an online public consultation before drafting a new constitution that he says will be put to a referendum. He has not brought major political or civil society players into the process.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tunis Tunisian President Kais Saied dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, the body that deals with judicial independence, a move that raises fears about the independence of the judiciary and was sure to anger his opponents, media reported on Sunday. Saied\u2019s decision caps months of his sharp criticism of the judges. Saied has frequently criticized the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-242950","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n