A coalition of 10 international human rights groups on Friday slammed Tunisian President Kais Saied for dealing “a deep blow to judicial independence” after he fired dozens of judges. Saied issued a presidential decree on June 1 in which he awarded himself the power to fire judges, and then sacked 57 after accusing them of corruption and protecting “terrorists”—accusations the Tunisian Judges’ Association said were mostly politically motivated.
Critics also have said his move further cemented a power grab that began last year when he dismissed the government and disbanded an elected parliament, adding to concerns that Saied has put the only country to emerge from the 2011 Arab Spring with a sustained period of democracy back on a path toward undemocratic rule. The rights groups—including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and International Alert—said in a joint statement that Saied’s moves were an assault on the rule of law and he should immediately revoke the decree and reinstate the judges.
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