Tunisia judiciary loses independence under President Kais Saied
Five years after President Kais Saïed seized power on 25 July 2021, an NGO report finds the country's justice system has been turned into an administrative arm of the state. The report "Au nom du peuple", presented by the human‑rights association Intersection on 28 July 2026, says the judiciary now “executes orders” rather than operating independently.
The document cites several moves that eroded judicial autonomy: the dissolution of the High Judicial Council, the revocation of 57 judges in 2022 without individual disciplinary investigations, and subsequent prosecutions of judges who defended themselves on social media. Although an administrative court ordered a suspension of most of those revocations, the ruling has not been implemented. The NGO also notes that it, along with other civil‑society groups, has been cut off from the Ministry of Justice and is under pressure.
Saïed, elected president in 2019 and re‑elected in October 2024, originally suspended parliament and consolidated executive power on the Republic Day of 2021, actions that have reshaped Tunisia’s democratic transition.
Entities: Ghaylen Jlassi · High Judicial Council (Tunisia) · Intersection · Kais Saied · Tunisian judges
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Tunisia’s High Judicial Council was dissolved. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The report states that Tunisia’s justice has become an administrative function that executes orders rather than an independent institution. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The NGO Intersection released a report titled “Au nom du peuple” on 28 July 2026 documenting violations against Tunisia’s judiciary. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a)
- [● 2 SOURCES] 57 Tunisian judges were revoked in 2022 without individual disciplinary investigations. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Kais Saïed was elected president of Tunisia in 2019 and re‑elected in October 2024. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a)
- [● 2 SOURCES] President Kais Saïed suspended the Tunisian parliament and concentrated executive power on 25 July 2021. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)
- [● 2 SOURCES] An administrative court suspended the revocation of most of those judges, but the decision has not been implemented. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Some judges have faced prosecution and defamation campaigns after defending themselves on social media. (dfd8b642-b437-4549-9443-088f5151853a, 311f50ba-4383-4cf5-8b62-1bd589e199b6)