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Tunisian Candidate Zammel, Opponent of President Saied, Sentenced to 12 Years in Prison Ahead of October 6 Election

Oct 1, 2024, 10:27 AM

Ayachi Zammel, a Tunisian presidential candidate, has been sentenced to a total of 12 years in prison on charges related to forgery and falsifying documents, according to his lawyer. This follows an earlier six-month prison sentence handed down on September 27. The Tunis II First Instance Court imposed the additional sentence, which includes three years for each of the four counts related to endorsements, and banned him from voting. Despite his imprisonment and inability to communicate with him, his campaign team has stated that they will not withdraw from the presidential race and will continue to fight in the upcoming October 6 elections. Zammel's sentencing has raised concerns over President Kais Saied's efforts to suppress meaningful opposition ahead of the election.