Tunisian police unions clash with president's plan to unify security forces
Human rights organizations in Tunisia are increasingly concerned about the police unions’ encroachment on politics.
TUNIS, Tunisia — Following the Aug. 10 meeting, Tunisian police unions entered into conflict with Tunisian President Kais Saied, after rejecting his call to establish a unified union structure under the name "Tunisian Union of General Internal Security Forces."
This was the response to Saied's request upon meeting Aug. 10 with Minister of Interior Tawfiq Sharaf El-Din. Saied urged the police to commit to protecting people and property and ensuring freedom of expression. In a statement issued by the presidency on the same day, Saied acknowledged that although the right for security personnel to unionize is a constitutional right, the constitution itself stipulates that this right does not include organizing a strike and that failure to provide security during protests is a disguised strike and a breach of professional obligations.
Saied's proposal was a response to human rights advocates in Tunisia calling for police unions to be dissolved after events advocates believed were caused by the police unions. For example, the police interfered during artistic performances and threatened to default on providing security.
This comes against the backdrop of the refusal of police officers to protect a theater performance by actor Lotfi al-Abdali Aug. 7, claiming that it contained words and gestures that offend morals. Many Tunisians considered this incident as a sign of police encroachment on and interference in making decisions that are not within their remit.
