Saied Lifts MPs' Immunity, Reassures Rights, Freedoms

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Tunisian President Kais Saied issued a presidential order to lift the parliamentary immunity of all members of the People's Assembly for the duration of the suspension, and assigned the Secretary-General of the House of Representatives to handle the administrative and financial work of the Assembly.

He called on the Tunisian citizens, local and foreign, to be assured of their rights and freedoms because they "are governed by law," noting that "the state is not a puppet driven by strings, and there are lobbies that move strings behind the curtain."

The Tunisian president stressed that he "is keen to implement the constitutional text, and no one was arrested or deprived of his rights," noting that he had taken these exceptional measures "to guarantee rights, freedoms, and the continuity of the state."

Saied stressed that "there is no room for manipulating the state, dividing it, or exploding it from within," noting that he derives confidence from "the popular power of attorney that appeared on more than one occasion, as well as on July 25."

Saied assigned the advisor to the President of the Republic in the National Security Department, Reda Gharslawi, to run the Ministry of Interior.

Gharslawi took the constitutional oath before the Tunisian President to run the Tunisian Ministry of the Interior in accordance with Article 89 of the constitution.

President Saied also called on everyone in Tunisia and abroad to be reassured of their rights and freedoms, asserting that exceptional measures are taken to guarantee rights and freedoms and the continuity of the state.

Saied had earlier called on the Tunisian people to remain calm, and not to be drawn into provocations and rumors, stressing that his actions are consistent with the country's constitution. This came after he issued a presidential order last Monday that decided to relieve the Prime Minister and the person in charge of managing the Ministry of the Interior, Hisham Al-Mashishi.

Today, Thursday, Al-Mashishi said that he is not denied any of his rights, rejecting rumors that he was beaten or threatened with weapons in the Carthage Palace.

The Head of the Tunisian Ennahda Movement, Rachid Ghannouchi, called earlier today for a national discussion in the country, expressing his party's readiness for "any concessions in order to restore democracy."

In an interview with Agence France-Presse, Ghannouchi called for "a national discussion in order to find out how Tunisia has a government," noting that since the issuance of presidential decisions, "there has been no conversation with the President of the Republic, nor with his aides."

In addition, the Assistant Secretary-General of the "Tunisian General Labor Union," Mohamed Ali Al-Boughdiri, revealed that the union will present to the Presidency of the Republic a map that includes visions related to the political and economic aspects. He called called for an end to the transitional situation as soon as possible.