Tunisian President Kaïs Saïed, who has assumed full powers since July, has decided to dissolve the Superior Council of the Judiciary, an independent body responsible for appointing judges, accusing it of being biased and at the service of certain interests.
“The CSM (Superior Council of the Judiciary) is a thing of the past from this moment,” Tunisia ‘s President Kaïs Saïed said on Sunday (February 6th ) in a video released overnight where he is seen chatting with ministers.
He also accuses this independent constitutional body of corruption and of having slowed down procedures, including investigations into the assassinations of left-wing activists in 2013.
According to observers, he is thus targeting the Ennahda party, which has controlled Parliament and the various governments since the 2011 revolution and the fall of dictator Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali.
Questioned by telephone by Reuters following this announcement, the president of the Superior Council of the Judiciary denounced an illegal decision aimed at placing the judiciary under the control of the head of state. Youssef Bouzakher warned that “the judges will not remain silent”.
The CSM rejected, in a statement, the dissolution “in the absence of a legal and constitutional framework authorizing” the president to do so. Denouncing “an attack on the Constitution and the guarantees of independence of justice”, the CSM announced that “its members will continue to sit”.
An Ennahdha spokesman, Imed Khemiri, denounced to AFP “a serious precedent that Tunisia has never had to undergo, including during the dictatorship” of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (1987-2011 ).
Kais Saied has concentrated all power since July 25, when he dismissed his Prime Minister and froze Parliament, a decision described as a coup by Ennahda and other opponents. It has since appointed a government but takes its decisions by decree. In mid-December, he announced a referendum this summer to reform the Constitution and legislative elections in December.
A decree in preparation
The “July 25 movement”, which brings together its supporters, called on Saturday Kaïs Saïed to dissolve the CSM to “purge” the judiciary of “corrupt magistrates”. The president assured, “work on a provisional decree” to reorganize the CSM. A few weeks ago, he had already withdrawn a number of benefits from members of the institution.
“Unfortunately, in this country, some judges in the courts have manipulated the Chokri Belaïd file”, denounced Kaïs Saïed, referring to a left-wing leader killed by three bullets outside his home on February 6, 2013.
A major demonstration is planned for Sunday in Tunis to commemorate the assassination of this activist and that of Mohamed Brahmi, killed in similar circumstances on July 25, 2013.
“This is not the first trial where they have tried to hide the truth for years,” added Kais Saïed.
“In this council, positions and appointments are sold and made according to affiliations”, affirmed the head of state, adding: “You cannot imagine the money that certain judges have been able to receive, billions and Billions.”
For him, “the place of the judges (of the CSM) is not where they are but on the dock”.
