Tunisian president confirms adherence to rule of law, independence of judiciary

Tunisian President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali expressed Tunisia's adherence to the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary as well as to fighting injustice, suppression and all forms of use of influence.

In an address he delivered yesterday at the periodic meeting of the supreme council of judiciary he said the government always seeks to support human rights, referring to the procedures recently taken to create alternative penalties to imprisonment to work for the general interest, implement the base of the judiciary on two levels in criminal issues, and prepare a specific definition for the crime of torture in criminal law that agrees with Tunis' international pledges.

He added that modern methods were brought into the court system that enable judges to make rapid judgements in cases and perfectly perform their "noble role."