TUNIS, Tunisia — Tunisian judges began June 6 a one-week general strike in courts across the country, subject to renewal, following the Tunisian Judges Association's call to protest against President Kais Saied’s decision to dismiss dozens of judges.

In response, Saied demanded during a meeting with Minister of Justice Laila Jaffal June 6 that the days the judges go on strike be deducted from their salaries, threatening to impose other penalties.

The strike, which judges threatened to extend for an additional week, comes amid a deepening political crisis in Tunisia after a series of measures Saied took and which are seen as cementing his one-man rule. 

Most recently, Saied announced following a ministerial meeting June 1 the dismissal of 57 judges for several reasons, including their relationship with political parties that are covering for terrorist suspects. Saied also mentioned a case related to the secret apparatus affiliated with the Ennahda movement, which he said prompted him to dismiss the Supreme Judicial Council, the country’s top independent judicial watchdog, over its failure to prevent corruption in the judiciary.