Tunisian judges hold emergency meeting to pressure government

Members of the Tunisian Judges' Association held an emergency meeting after President Kais Saied's move to dissolve the Supreme Judicial Council months after a July power grab.

The judges are now calling on President Kais Saied to turn his decision and reinstate the judicial council.

The judges also vowed to protect the legal institution and the country’s constitution.

"Once again, we call on the President of the Republic to renounce his decisions and protect Tunisia from possible slippage related to this dangerous direction. And we want to defend the legal institutions, starting with the Supreme Council," said Anas Hmaidi, the president of the Tunisian Magistrates Association.

Previous protests occurred last week and several magistrates boycotted work and closed court premises.

The group is now looking for other ways to pressure the government into heeding into their demands.

"Now all alternatives are possible and likely. Obviously, we want to take into account the context of the country whether it is the social, economic and the particular political context tense but this meeting will allow us to decide on the next steps," said Anas Hmaidi, the president of the Tunisian Magistrates Association.

Saied had long accused the Supreme Judicial Council of blocking politically sensitive investigations and being influenced by his nemesis, the Islamist-inspired Ennahdha party.