Ayachi Zammel

By Ruth Nwokwu

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.