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Tunisia removes immunity of former Interior Minister Najem Gharsalli

January 3, 2018 at 11:18 am

Tunisian former Minister of Interior and Judge Mohamed Najem Gharsalli [Anadolu Agency]

The Supreme Judicial Council of Tunisia, an independent constitutional institution, lifted the judicial immunity of the former Minister of Interior and Judge Mohamed Najem Gharsalli on Tuesday, Anadolu has reported.

According to Ahmed Al-Majri of the Council’s Information and Communication Office, judicial immunity in Tunisia is a social guarantee enjoyed by some political positions, such as judges, ministers, parliamentarians and diplomats. “The lifting of immunity causes a person to be subject to fair trial while enjoying guarantees like any other ordinary citizen,” he explained. No reasons were given for the move against Gharsalli, who served as Tunisia’s ambassador to Morocco until October last year, when he was dismissed for no apparent reason.

However, it is believed that this step has been taken in connection with Gharsalli being a witness in the case of businessman Shafiq Jaraya, who is accused of “assaulting the external security of the State”. An investigation into Jaraya was opened in May last year by the Military Prosecutors in Tunis. He is said to be a threat to “external State security” and guilty of “treason and being at the disposal of a foreign army in time of peace.” Again, no further details were provided.

Gharsalli served as Interior Minister in the government of Habib Al-Said — Prime Minister 2015-2016 — and was removed in a cabinet reshuffle in January 2016.

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