Tunisian President dismisses 57 judges
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The judges were accused of corruption, complicity, and protecting accused terrorists.
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Tunisian President Kais Saeid
Tunisia's President Kais Saied has fired 57 judges on Wednesday, according to the official gazette, after accusing them of corruption, collusion, and safeguarding accused individuals in terrorism cases.
Saied, who seized executive authority last summer, dissolved Parliament in March, calling for legislative elections within 3 months.
"Today, at this historic moment, I announce the dissolution of the Assembly of Representatives of the people, to preserve the state and its institutions," he said in a statement carried on state TV.
The Tunisian President made the announcement during a meeting of the National Security Council, just hours after parliamentarians held an online plenary session and passed a bill opposing his "exceptional measures".
The Tunisian President has also outlined a plan for drafting a new constitution, which will be put to a referendum in July, followed by elections at the end of the year.
On May 1, Saied said in a televised speech that his government will form a committee for the purpose of writing a constitution for a "New Republic" in Tunisia.
Saied, who said that the constitution will be written within a few days, said a national dialogue on reforms will take place, which will include four major organizations, the UGTT labor union, the lawyers' union, the Federation of Industry and trade and the Tunisian League of Human Rights.
