Justice system doubted upon former ministers releas in Tunisia

The “25th Group,” which is made up of a number of voluntary lawyers, said that the decisions made to release a number of ministers who worked for Zine El Abidine Ben Ali are politically biased decisions that were not taken according to the Law. The lawyers, who have formerly sued many ministers and prominent businessmen and officials for corruption in the Ben Ali era, accused the government of cowardice in punishing them. Abdel Nasser Al Oweini, a lawyer, confirmed that the Tunisian political system has only nominally changed as only a few closely-related Ben Ali individuals were punished, while the government is covering up for other corrupt individuals in government. Al Owaini (author of the saying ‘Ben Ali fled’) commented on the decision to release two former ministers saying: "What is happening today regarding the release of some ministers and officials and the smuggling of some of them, like Mondher Znaidi, Minister of Health in the era of Ben Ali, who was smuggled by land on 8th Feb, and Mrs. Aqrabi, President of Mothers of Tunisia, who announced her departure of Tunisia in to France on July 30th, indicates the existence of political decisions carrying instructions from the Minister of Justice in the transitional government, "noting that" the judicial system still contains the judges of the former regime who were entrusted with the task of investigating the symbols of corruption, and were recently promoted for the properly implementing all of the political orders they were given. " Several members of this group stressed that "Tunisia cannot go ahead with the Constituent Assembly elections with such a judicial system that cannot respond to attempts of fraud, because they will then be elections without guarantees, especially in light of the existence of clear negligence from the political parties in the calling for and demanding for accountability from the symbols of corruption.” The communist-oriented Al Tajdeed Movement said that: “the release of former ministers and allowing some of the symbols of the former regime to travel raises legitimate questions about the seriousness of the holding individual accountable and their punishment." In a statement, issued by the movement’s Secretary General on Friday it stated the need to lift all obstacles that impede the process of accountability, and called for speeding up and expanding the process in order to show their seriousness in moving away from the path of tyranny and corruption," arguing that "it is an essential condition in enhancing the confidence of citizens in the process of democratic transition." Te statement also called for "an end to the uncertainty and confusion and the necessity in making bold decisions for reforms in all areas, especially the security and judicial ones." The High Commission for achieving the goals of the revolution and a democratic transition held a press conference during which its spokesman Samir Alrabihi announced that the Commission intends to set up a committee of eight members whose mission is to follow up the activities and progress of members of the transitional government. Visiting the Ministry of Interior will be their top priority in order to reform the security system as well as visiting the Ministry of Justice to inquire about the real reasons for the release of Bashir Al Tekkari and Abderrahim Al Zouari. Furthermore, Al Rabihi confirmed that a lawyer is present for the Commission and the 25th Movement to draw a quick plan of before talking about national reconciliation. He considered that the adoption of some of the partyies’ thesis of national reconciliation results in liquidating accountability. His somewhat angry responses come after the announcement of the temporary judicial authorities of the release of former ministers Bashir Tekkari and Abderrahim Zouari, and allowing the former President of Mothers of Tunisia, Agrebi , to travel to France. The official Tunisia news agency quoted a judicial source saying that: “the decision to release the former Minister of Transport Abderrahim Zaouari does not mean that he is not longer accused of what he had committed. He is currently held at the military barracks in Alowaina for 3 to 6 days for conservatory reasons, in order to investigate other financial corruption and abuse of power charges against him.”