Tunisian Judges Association denounces arbitrary suspensions and demands immediate reinstatement
The Tunisian Judges Association AMT has strongly condemned the executive branch's suspension of judges, calling the decisions "arbitrary" and demanding their immediate annulment. In a statement released on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, the AMT accused the executive of engaging in a policy of retaliation against judges and questioned the legal basis of the measures. The association is demanding the reinstatement of the affected judges to their positions and the restoration of their rights and salaries. The AMT highlighted that these suspensions, which include salary deprivation and are taken without a time limit, place judges in an indefinite professional situation. The association specifically cited the case of Mohamed Ben Mefteh, a member of its executive board, who was suspended in August 2026 without written notification. The AMT links this measure to his independence and his activities within the association, noting that he had been repeatedly transferred since 2024, including a transfer to the Jendouba Court of Appeal immediately after he submitted his candidacy for the AMT executive board. The AMT disputes the Minister of Justice's authority to suspend judges, arguing that Article 54 of the 1967 Law on the Status of the Judiciary, which allowed such suspensions, was repealed by Organic Law No. 34 of 2016. The association asserts that the Minister of Justice no longer possesses this power, and neither Decree-Law No. 11 of 2022 nor the 2022 Constitution explicitly or exce
