Tunisia judges strike after mass sackings, Saied ‘interference’

TUNIS: Tunisian judges launched a week-long strike on Monday in protest at President Kais Saied’s "interference" in the judiciary, days after he sacked 57 of their colleagues.

Saied -- who suspended parliament in a power grab last July -- issued a new decree last week extending his control over the judiciary, his latest move against the only democratic system to emerge from the Arab Spring uprisings.

On Saturday, four judges’ unions announced a nationwide court strike, strongly condemning the president’s "continued interference in the judiciary". They accused Saied of laying off judges "without the slightest recourse to disciplinary procedures" in an affront to the constitution.