Washington: The United States said Monday it was “deeply concerned” by Tunisian President Kais Saied’s decision to dissolve the country’s top legal watchdog, the Supreme Judicial Council, and to block access to its headquarters. “An independent judiciary is a core element of an effective and transparent democracy,” said State Department Spokesman Ned Price. Saied dissolved the body on Sunday, months after sacking the government and seizing wide-reaching powers in Tunisia.