Tunisia: Extended prison term for the Former Presidential Contender Who Lost Elections
The defeated Tunisian presidential hopeful, Ayachi Zammel, has been handed additional prison terms, as stated by his legal representative. A local court in Siliana handed out sentences of one year and eight months in four distinct episodes against Zammel, as per lawyer Abdessatar Messaoudi's announcements. Zammel is facing allegations, which include but are not limited to, falsifying endorsement signatures for his presidential campaign.
With these new charges, Zammel's incarceration time extends to over 20 years. Previously, he was convicted of election manipulation in October, earning a 12-year sentence, and served over two years in prior convictions. As of now, there are reportedly 37 ongoing trial proceedings against the ex-parliamentarian.
Running for president while already incarcerated, Zammel secured 7.3% of the votes in the October 6 election. The eventual winner, Tunisian President Kais Saied, earned an astounding 90.7% of votes during his re-election. The runner-up, Zouhair Maghzaoui, managed just 1.9%. Since his initial presidency in 2019, Saied has demonstrated a shift towards increased authoritarianism.
Given Zammel's additional prison terms, he will spend more than two decades behind bars in a prison. With multiple convictions, including election manipulation and falsifying endorsement signatures, Zammel's prison sentence continues to grow.
