This verdict comes amidst escalating tensions between President Kais Saied and the opposition, who claim Saied is exploiting the judiciary to silence his opponents, Reuters reports.
A Tunisian court sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to 12 years in prison on Tuesday for document falsification.
This verdict comes amidst escalating tensions between President Kais Saied and the opposition, who claim Saied is exploiting the judiciary to silence his opponents, Reuters reports.
Zammel's sentence is the third in two weeks, just five days before the presidential election where he faces Saied. Three prominent opposition figures were barred from participating.
"Ayachi Zammel was sentenced to 12 years in prison by a Tunis court on charges of document falsification," said Abdessattar Massoudi, Zammel's lawyer.
This development has sparked concerns about the independence of Tunisia's judiciary and the integrity of the electoral process.
Massoudi described the verdict as "unfair and a farce".
The presidential election has been slated for October 6, 2024.
The verdict highlights rising tensions ahead of the election, amid opposition and civil society groups’ fears of a rigged election aimed at keeping President Kais Saied in power.
Two weeks ago, Zammel was sentenced to 20 months in prison on charges of falsifying popular endorsements, that his attorney described as politically motivated.
Two weeks after his arrest, a court in the city of Jendouba handed down a 20-month sentence for Ayachi Zammel on Wednesday evening, after convicting him of falsifying the signatures he gathered to file the candidacy papers needed to run for president.
Zammel faces more than 20 charges in jurisdictions throughout Tunisia, including four that will be heard on Thursday.
“It is another unjust ruling and a farce that clearly aims to weaken him in the election race, but we will defend his right to the last minute,” Abdessattar Massoudi told Reuters on Wednesday, September 25.