Tunisia: Presidential Candidate Slammed 12-Year Jail Term in Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied.
1 October 2024

Tunisian politician and candidate in the country's approaching October 6 presidential election, Ayachi Zammel has been sentenced to 12 years jail term, his lawyer announced on Tuesday.

"The court in Tunis sentenced Ayachi Zammel to 12 years in prison in four cases related to voter endorsements," Zammel's attorney, Abdessater Messoudi told AFP.

Messoudi said Zammel "remains a candidate in the election" on Sunday.

Former lawmaker Zammel heads a small liberal party, and had been one of just two candidates approved by Tunisia's electoral authority ISIE to challenge President Kais Saied for the top post.

Ahead of the vote, ISIE had rejected the bids of some 14 other presidential hopefuls.

It eventually presented a final list of just three candidates including President Saied, former parliamentarian Zouhair Maghzaoui and businessman Zammel.

On September 18, his lawyer said Zammel had been handed a 20-month prison term for charges related to forging voter endorsements.

AllAfrica publishes around 600 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.