The Tunisian Magistrates Union (SMT) has warned it would go on strike across the country to push the government into taking urgent measures to protect judges from assaults.
The SMT said on Friday that it would submit an urgent request to Prime Minister Youssef Chahed and the justice and interior ministers to find urgent solutions that would secure judges and courts.
The Union added that it would hold a meeting the soonest to discuss the recent assault of magistrates.
The head of the SMT, Ibrahim Bouslah, said Tunisia’s judges don’t enjoy the same privileges of other employees in the public sector.
There should be laws that guarantee their personal safety, he said.
The SMT called for a serious and urgent investigation into several assaults that have recently targeted magistrates and courts, and to hold the assailants accountable.
One of the latest attacks took place last month when extremist Adel Ghandri seized the judge’s gavel and hit him on the head during his trial at a Tunis military court.
SMT’s demands include the formation of a judicial police force that would be tasked with securing courts and tribunals.
