Tunisia: Administrative Court suspends president’s dismissal of judges

A setback for President Kaïs Saïed: the administrative court of Tunis suspended the execution of his decision taken in June to dismiss 57 judges, a measure that had caused an outcry in the country. According to the court’s spokesperson, a certain number of judges could finally return to the courtroom after the examination of their appeals.

After reviewing the factual and legal data in force during the investigation, 48 of the 57 judges dismissed by the Tunisian president could resume their work, according to the administrative court.

Last June, President Kaïs Saïed issued a decree dismissing these judges on suspicion of corruption, for changing the course of certain cases, and for disrupting investigations in terrorism cases. The list of charges also included accusations of ‘financial and moral corruption’, which the judges deny.

Mourad al-Masoudi, president of the Association of Young Tunisian Judges, and one of the dismissed judges, says the administrative court made the decision after discovering that the judges had no connection with the charges. They are not the subject of any criminal or disciplinary or moral complaints. They did not even have any records.

The decision of the administrative court normally has the effect of suspending the presidential decree, which had been rejected by the unions and political parties. All of them now welcome this decision of the Tunisian justice.

The presidential palace has not communicated for the moment.