Tunisian Police Arrest Ayachi Zammel's Presidential Candidate

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Tunisian police arrested presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel. This arrest amid growing concerns among human rights groups and opposition President Kais Saied's main competitors will be removed from the presidential election competition.

The Tunisian KPU is preparing to announce on Monday, September 2, a candidate accepted for the presidential election scheduled for October 6.

Mahdi Abdel Jawad said the police arrested Zammel at his home at around 3.00 a.m. on suspicion of falsifying popular support.

"This problem has become unreasonable and aims to get him out of the election," Mahdi said.

The KPU and the interior ministry did not provide a response.

Last week, the State Administrative Court, the highest judicial body to hear election disputes, returned three prominent candidates, Mondher Znaidi, AbdelLative Mekki and Imed Daimi, to election competition after the general election commission rejected their nomination proposal.

They joined the candidates received, Ayachi Zammel, Zouhair Maghzaoui, and Saied, the current president.

However, the head of the election commission Farouk Bouasker said his party would study the decision of the State Administrative Court and other court decisions against the candidates before issuing the final list.

Bouasker's position sparked widespread anger among human rights groups and politicians, expressing concern that their statement was a clear signal showing the exception of the three candidates from the race.

They said the commission was no longer independent and the only goal was to ensure Saied's easy victory.

The Tunisian KPU denied these allegations and said they were neutral.