On Wednesday, September 25, a Tunisian court found presidential contender Ayachi Zammel guilty of falsifying documents and sentenced him to six months in prison. This is the second jail term he has received in a week.
Days before the presidential election, the sentencing underscores the growing tensions between opposition and civil society organizations about the possibility of an election rigged to maintain President Kais Saied’s hold on power.
Zammel was found guilty of fabricating celebrity endorsements and received a 20-month prison sentence last week.
“Abdessattar Massoudi, the counsel for Zammel, said Reuters, “We will defend his right until the last minute. It is another unjust verdict and a farce that plainly attempts to damage him in the electoral contest.” Eyes Of Lagos reports,
Only three candidates were accepted to compete for the presidency, including incumbent Saied and Zouhair Magzhaoui, including Zammel.
Ahead of the election on October 6, political unrest has increased in the North African nation after three well-known candidates were disqualified this month by an electoral committee appointed by Saied in response to concerns from the opposition and civil society organizations.
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