The Tunisian police arrested opposition politician Ayachi Zammel ahead of the upcoming presidential election on October 6. Zammel was one of two challengers to incumbent President Kais Saied, who has been accused of blocking rivals and purging political competition. Zammel was detained for allegedly falsifying endorsements for his candidacy.
Human Rights Watch has accused the Tunisian government of preventing rivals of President Saied from running in the election. Saied, who won power in 2019, later made a power grab in 2021 by shutting down Parliament and ruling by decree, leading to the arrest of opposition figures.
Zammel’s party treasurer was also arrested last month on similar charges. The electoral commission reinstated its decision to disqualify several candidates accused of forging signatures, including Imed Daimi. The highest judicial body ruled last week that Daimi and two other candidates should be allowed to run.
HRW reports that at least eight prospective candidates have faced prosecution, convictions, or imprisonment. Political parties and human rights groups are calling for a protest to demand the reinstatement of disqualified candidates and to stop arbitrary restrictions and intimidation in the election process. These events highlight concerns about political freedom and competition in Tunisia ahead of the presidential vote.
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