TUNIS: Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked 57 judges on Thursday after accusing them of corruption and other crimes.

Saied, who has steadily extended his powers since he sacked the government and suspended parliament last July, issued a decree late on Wednesday allowing himself to unilaterally sack judges for “actions ... that could compromise the judiciary’s reputation, independence or functioning”. In the early hours of Thursday, the gazette published a list of judges who had been dismissed, and who may face prosecution. It did not list the reasons for their sacking.

Saied had at an earlier cabinet meeting accused unnamed judges of corruption, stalling “terrorism” cases, sexual harassment, collusion with political parties and obstruction of justice.

Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2022