Former Tunisian Presidential Candidate Sentenced to 31 Years in Prison

The Tunisian judiciary has sentenced former presidential candidate Ayachi Zamal to a total of 31 years in prison due to multiple convictions for forging endorsement signatures. His lawyer, Abdel Sattar Al-Masoudi, confirmed that Zamal received additional sentences of one year and eight months in three separate cases, contributing to an already lengthy prison term. Zamal's legal troubles stem from accusations of violating the stringent rules for collecting endorsements required for presidential candidacy, which experts note are notoriously difficult to navigate. He is currently facing charges in 37 cases across various governorates in Tunisia. Zamal, who has been in custody since September 2, was not a well-known figure prior to this election, garnering only 7.35% of the vote. In contrast, President Kais Saied secured a second term with 90.7% of the votes amidst record low voter turnout of around 30%. The European Union has expressed concern over the diminishing democratic space in Tunisia, particularly regarding Zamal's arrest and the exclusion of other notable candidates from the electoral process.