Tunisian Police Arrest Opository Leader Candidate For Presidential Election On Charges Of Money Laundering

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JAKARTA The chairman of the Tunisian opposition party, Lotfi Mraihi, who ran as a candidate in the presidential election was arrested by the police on suspicion of money laundering.

Mraihi, leader of the Republican United Party, and one of President Kais Saied's most prominent critics, was arrested on Wednesday, July 3, local politicians and media said.

A spokesman for the Tunis court said earlier this week Mraihi faced allegations of money laundering and opening bank accounts abroad without permission from the central bank.

Mraihi's arrest comes as opposition parties, most of whose leaders are jailed, accuse Saied's administration of putting pressure on courts to track Saied's rivals in the 2024 elections and pave the way for him to win a second term.

Elected president in 2019, Saied has not officially announced his candidacy for elections scheduled for October 6.

But it is expected to run for a second term. He said last year he would not hand over power to what he called non-patriots.

Abir Moussi, leader of the Free Constitutional Party and a prominent candidate, has been jailed since last year on charges of harming public security.

Moussi's party said he was jailed in an attempt to get him out of the election and avoid strong candidates. Authorities deny this.

Other candidates including Safi Saeed, Nizar Chaari and Abd Ellatif Mekki face charges of crimes such as fraud and money laundering.

Mondher Znaidi, a prominent potential candidate living in France, is also facing charges over alleged financial corruption.

Opposition authorities say fair and credible elections cannot be held unless jailed politicians are released and media are allowed to carry out their duties without pressure from the government.

Saied seized almost all power in 2021, dissolved parliament, and began to rule by decree in actions that the opposition described as a coup.

Saied said his steps were legitimate and necessary to end years of rampant corruption among political elites.