Tunisian president sacks Chief of Military Justice

Tunisia’s interim President Moncef Marzouki yesterday sacked the Director of Military Justice a few days after the Military Court of Appeal sentenced several former regime officials on charges of killing protestors during the 2011 revolution which ousted former President Zine El-Abidine Bin Ali.

In a statement released yesterday, the president’s office said Marzouki appointed Judge Ali Al-Fontasi as the new Director of Military Justice.

The statement did not explain the reason for the decision but observers believe it comes following the Military Court of Appeal’s sentences.

The Military Court of Appeal in Tunis on Saturday sentenced the last interior minister under former President Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali, Rafik Haj Kassem and the head of presidential security Ali Al-Seriati and other security officials to three years in prison while acquitted five others on charges of killing and wounding protestors in 2011.