Tunisia’s Grand Mufti Sheikh Othman Battikh called on Tunisians to halt social protests and sit-ins. His call has raised controversy and was condemned by civil society and trade unions. Diwan al-Ifta, Tunisia’s highest religious establishment, issued a statement Sept. 26 where the grand mufti called to “abandon untimely protests and sit-ins that hinder work and production, and refrain from blocking the roads and damaging public property.” The mufti’s call came following the recent social protests and labor strikes in Tunisia.

He added, “Today, Tunisia stands at a crossroads. Either we all make responsible efforts to save [the country], or God forbid, as Allah almighty has said: They destroy their dwellings by their own hands and by those of the believers.”

The grand mufti’s interference in the public domain is a precedent in Tunisia. Diwan al-Ifta, which is affiliated with the premiership, has never interfered in political affairs. That is why the grand mufti’s call has sparked controversy.

Local media perceived the grand mufti’s call as “a prohibition of the protests and support for the government.” In response, the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Political Rights said in a Sept. 26 statement, “Diwan al-Ifta’s interference goes beyond its scope of competence, as it is related to economic and social issues and the struggle for a full citizenship for all. Its objective is to justify the government policy aimed at criminalizing social movements.”