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Mohamed Abbou criticizes Tunisian justice system using Zied El-Heni and Khalifa Guesmi cases
via Business News2 min read
Former Minister Mohamed Abbou has strongly criticized the state of justice in Tunisia, drawing parallels between the cases of journalist Zied El-Heni and Khalifa Guesmi. Abbou highlighted revelations by Zied El-Heni concerning an incident that led to the death of a National Guard officer, while also denouncing what he termed the "catastrophic" state of Tunisian justice. He detailed the Khalifa Guesmi case, where the journalist and a National Guard officer were prosecuted for disclosing information related to a security operation. They were convicted at first instance and on appeal. Following an appeal to the Court of Cassation, the decision was overturned, and the case was sent back. The appellate court subsequently found no essential element of the offense, specifically the lack of proof of a "special operation" authorized by a judicial order. Consequently, the journalist was acquitted, and public action against the officer ceased due to his death in detention. Abbou argues that these events, occurring after three years of detention for the journalist and the officer's death, expose a major failure in the judicial system. He questioned the responsibility of the public prosecutor's office, the investigating judge, and the trial courts for not identifying the absence of a key element of the offense. The former minister placed this case within a broader context of alleged pressure on magistrates, citing judicial revocations, transfers, and the dismantling of judicial governance
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