Tunisian judges continue their strike to protest purge

TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisian judges continued their strike for the second day on Tuesday to protest President Kais Saied's decision to sack dozens of their colleagues.

In a statement, the Association of Judges said 99% of the judges and judicial staff suspended their work as part of the strike.

Tunisian judges started a week-long strike on Monday to pressure on Saied to reverse his decision of sack 57 judges, whom the Tunisian president accused of corruption and supporting terrorists.

Saied, however, vowed to cut the wages of the striking judges amid rising tensions with the judiciary.

The sacking of judges by the Tunisian president has drawn widespread condemnations from political parties across the North African nation as well as from the United States and Amnesty International rights group.

Tunisia has been in the throes of a deep political crisis since July 25, 2021, when Saied dismissed the government, suspended parliament, and assumed executive authority, in a move decried by opponents as a “coup.” He later dissolved the parliament in March after lawmakers held a session to revoke his measures.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar