A Tunisian court has sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to six months in prison on charges of falsifying documents, just days before the country’s presidential election. This latest sentence follows another ruling from the previous week, in which Zammel was sentenced to 20 months in prison for allegedly falsifying public endorsements.
The back-to-back rulings have escalated tensions in Tunisia, with many in the opposition and civil society fearing that the election process may be rigged to favor the current president, Kais Saied. These groups have expressed concerns that the judicial actions against Zammel are politically motivated, aimed at weakening his chances in the race.
Zammel’s lawyer, Abdessattar Massoudi, condemned the verdict, calling it a deliberate tactic to sabotage Zammel’s campaign. “This is another unjust decision meant to undermine him, but we will fight for his rights until the very end,” Massoudi stated.
Despite the legal hurdles, Zammel remains one of the three remaining candidates in the race, competing against incumbent President Saied and Zouhair Magzhaoui. Political tensions have only heightened as the October 6 election approaches, particularly after three high-profile candidates were disqualified earlier this month by an electoral commission appointed by Saied, sparking protests and further concerns about the fairness of the election.