Certificate Scandal: Tunisian Presidential Candidate Gets 6-Month Jail Term

Tunisian Presidential Candidate Jailed for Forgery

“This is an unjust ruling and a farce aimed at weakening Ayachi Zammel's campaign...”

Tunisian Presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel sentenced to 6 months for certificate forgery & 20onths for election fraud amidst upcoming presidential election on October 6.

On Wednesday, September 25, the Jendouba Court of First Instance in Tunisia handed down a six-month prison sentence to presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel for using a forged certificate.

In a separate ruling, Zammel received a 20-month prison term for falsifying popular endorsement documents required for his participation in the recent presidential election.

Zammel's lawyer, Abdessattar Massoudi, condemned the verdicts, alleging they were politically motivated to undermine his client's electoral chances. “This is an unjust ruling and a farce aimed at weakening Ayachi Zammel's campaign,” Massoudi stated. “We will vigorously defend his rights until the very end.”

Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel was initially arrested on September 2, accused of falsifying signatures required for his presidential bid. He was briefly released four days later, only to be rearrested on similar charges.

This development comes amidst Tunisia's preparations for the upcoming presidential election, scheduled for October 6. Zammel's arrest has sparked controversy, raising concerns about the election's fairness and transparency.