A Tunisian court on Wednesday sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to 20 months in prison, Zammel’s lawyer said, according to Reuters.
Zammel, head of the opposition Azimoun party, was arrested two weeks ago on charges of falsifying voter signatures on his candidacy paperwork, charges he called manufactured by Saied.
Political tensions in the North African country have risen ahead of the October 6 election since an electoral commission named by Saied disqualified three prominent candidates this month amid protests by opposition and civil society groups.
The commission approved only the candidacies of the incumbent president, Zammel and Zouhair Magzhaoui, who was seen as close to Saied, defying Tunisia’s administrative court, the highest judicial body in election-related disputes.
Peoplesmind