Tunisian presidential candidate arrested ahead of election

A prominent Tunisian political figure and declared candidate for the country’s upcoming presidential election was arrested by police on suspicions of “falsifying popular endorsements,” his campaign said Monday.

The candidate in question, Ayachi Zammel, is one of only two opposition candidates approved to challenge incumbent President Kais Saied in the upcoming election on October 6.

Police allegedly stormed Zammel’s home around 3 a.m. local time, in a move his campaign called “absurd” and an obvious attempt to “exclude him from the election.”

Since taking office in 2019, Tunisian President Kais Saied has faced widespread criticism for his authoritarian methods, which include dissolving parliament in 2021 and now using state power to prevent his rivals from running against him.

Last week, the Administrative Court reinstated three candidates—Mondher Znaidi, Abdel Latif Mekki, and Imed Daimi—after the electoral commission had previously rejected their applications.

The electoral commission

However, electoral commission head Farouk Bouasker indicated that the commission planned to review the court’s decision in a move rights group, which the opposition says is a clear signal Saied has weaponized the once independent body to secure an easy victory for himself.

The electoral commission is expected to announce the final list of accepted candidates for the presidential elections in the coming days.

In response, multiple political parties and rights organizations are planning to protest outside the electoral office headquarters, demanding the implementation of the court’s decision and an end to “arbitrary restrictions” against candidates.