TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisia’s Supreme Judicial Council on Tuesday underlined the independence of the judicial authority in the North African country.

A group of council members met with Tunisian President Kais Saied on Monday, one day after he ousted the government of Hichem Mechichi and suspended parliament.

A statement issued by the council following the meeting underlined the independence of the judicial authority “and the necessity to distance it from all political disputes”.

“Judges are independent and no one has authority over them except the law,” the statement said.

The Tunisian Presidency said in a separate statement that Saied reiterated during the meeting his respect for the constitution and the rule of law.

On Sunday, Saied sacked Mechichi, froze parliament, and assumed the executive authority with the assistance of a new prime minister. He also suspended the immunity of all members of parliament and took control of the general prosecutor’s office.

Saied’s move was denounced by the majority of Tunisian parliamentary blocs and parties, which considered it as a violation of the constitution.

Tunisia has been gripped by a deep crisis since Jan. 16, when Mechichi announced a cabinet reshuffle but Saied refused to hold a ceremony to swear in the new ministers.

The country also faces an unprecedented spread of COVID-19 strains in most states.

Tunisia is seen as the only country that succeeded in carrying out a democratic transition among Arab countries that also witnessed popular revolutions which toppled their ruling regimes, including Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this report from Ankara.