Tunisian politician Ayachi Zammel has been sentenced to 12 years in prison ahead of the presidential election scheduled for October 6, according to his lawyer. This ruling comes just five days before the election and marks the third prison sentence imposed on Zammel in a span of two weeks, raising significant questions about the judicial process in Tunisia during this critical period.
Lawyer Abdessater Messoudi revealed that the court in Tunis found Zammel guilty in four separate cases related to fraudulent voter endorsements and document falsification. Despite this significant sentence, Messoudi confirmed that Zammel intends to continue his candidacy in the upcoming election.
The leading candidate is incumbent President Kais Saied, who has faced criticism for consolidating power since his election in 2019, including the dissolution of parliament and the establishment of a new legislature with limited authority.
Zammel heads a small liberal party and is one of only two candidates approved by Tunisia’s electoral authority, ISIE, to challenge Saied, following the rejection of approximately 14 other hopefuls. Observers are concerned that the timing of Zammel’s sentence could influence the electoral landscape and undermine the integrity of the elections, casting a shadow over the political climate in Tunisia.