馃嚬馃嚦TunisiaNorth Africa
Sousse lawyers strike over judicial system deterioration
via Business News2 min read
Lawyers in Sousse observed a general strike on Thursday, April 16, 2026, paralyzing courts in the region. This action, decided by the Bar Council on April 7, protests the perceived alarming degradation of public justice services. Lawyers gathered at the Sousse 1 Court of First Instance, responding to the call of regional section president Me Zouheir Belhaj Amor, and held a demonstration. Their demands center on a critical shortage of human resources, including magistrates and administrative staff. They highlight an unsustainable situation where a more than 30% increase in case volume contrasts with stagnant or declining resources. The regional president described a judicial system "in peril" with exhausting working conditions and late-night hearings, compromising basic rights. He also noted the lack of new judicial staff and the uncompensated departure of many clerks, exacerbating administrative delays. Lawyers also oppose the continued use of videoconferencing in criminal cases, arguing it undermines fair trial guarantees by limiting direct interaction. They emphasize that physical presence is essential for defense rights. While supporting judicial reform, the lawyers stated their movement is not political or corporatist, but focused on the interests of litigants and ensuring dignified and acceptable justice. They maintained minimum service for urgent cases to demonstrate their sense of responsibility.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Business News.
Three years after the signing of the migration memorandum between Tunisia and the European Union, Amnesty International has stated that this cooperation model prioritized strengthening migration control over protecting the human rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants. In a statement published on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the organization affirmed that policies implemented since the agreement's signing have been marked by numerous human rights violations. Amnesty International documented cases of arbitrary detentions, collective expulsions, violence, and racist acts related to the migration policies applied in Tunisia. Despite accumulating evidence of these violations, the European Union continued to provide financial and technical support to Tunisian authorities to reinforce migration control mechanisms. The NGO believes that reducing migrant arrivals in Europe cannot be considered a success indicator if it comes at the cost of the lives and dignity of those affected. Amnesty International also emphasized that intercepting migrants at sea should not be equated with a rescue operation when those intercepted are returned to places where they risk exposure to violence, torture, or other severe human rights violations. The organization stated that survivor testimonies show that the consequences of these policies cannot be reduced to mere migration statistics, asserting that each intercepted or expelled person is a human being whose rights must be fully respected. Amnesty
Tunisia's foreign currency receipts from Tunisians residing abroad TRE and tourism continued to grow, reaching over 8.4 billion dinars by July 10, 2026. This represents an increase of nearly 390 million dinars compared to the same period in 2025, according to monetary and financial indicators published by the Central Bank of Tunisia on Thursday, July 16, 2026. Cumulative cash work income, primarily from TRE, amounted to 4.74 billion dinars, up from 4.51 billion dinars a year earlier, marking a 5.10% annual increase. Tourism revenues also rose, reaching 3.68 billion dinars by July 10, 2026, compared to 3.52 billion dinars on the same date in 2025, an increase of 4.49%. Combined, these two sources generated 8.43 billion dinars in foreign currency by July 10, 2026, up from 8.04 billion dinars a year prior, a 4.83% increase. These sectors remain crucial for Tunisia's foreign currency supply and play an essential role in financing the country's external balances, especially given the high trade deficit and the impact of energy costs on external accounts. In 2025, total receipts from TRE and tourism were 16.86 billion dinars, compared to 15.86 billion dinars in 2024, an increase of 996.2 million dinars or 6.28%.
The European Left Party has strongly condemned death threats targeting Hamma Hammami, Secretary General of the Tunisian Workers' Party, and other opposition figures. These threats followed the broadcast of a video containing violent remarks and calls for hatred. In a statement issued on Thursday, July 16, 2026, the European organization expressed full solidarity with Hamma Hammami, his family, and the Workers' Party, emphasizing that political differences do not justify intimidation or threats against political actors expressing critical views. The European Left Party urged Tunisian authorities to immediately ensure the safety of those targeted, conduct a thorough investigation into the threats' origin, and prosecute those responsible, warning that impunity fuels political violence and erodes democratic freedoms. The organization also reaffirmed its commitment to freedom of expression, political pluralism, and the right of opposition forces to operate without persecution. This reaction comes amid growing concern over the proliferation of hate speech in Tunisia's public and digital spheres. The Tunisian League for Human Rights had previously raised an alarm on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, regarding the same video, denouncing an escalation of hate speech and incitement to violence on social media. The League called for an urgent and independent criminal investigation to identify those responsible and protect the targeted individuals, including Mohamed Abbou, Ezzedine Hazgui, Samir