Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel jailed for certificate forgery

Days to Tunisia’s election, Ayachi Zammel, a presidential candidate, has been sentenced to six months in prison for using “fraudulent certificates.”

The Criminal Chamber of the Jendouba Court of First Instance sentenced Mr Zammel to six months in prison for “deliberately using a fraudulent certificate,” Tunisia’s TAP news agency reported Wednesday.

Mr Zammel was sentenced to 20 months in prison for falsifying popular endorsement documents to contest last week’s race.

However, Abdessattar Massoudi, Mr Zammel’s lawyer, dismissed Mr Zammel’s sentence as a plot to ruin his chances in the forthcoming election.

“It is another unjust ruling and a farce that clearly aims to weaken him in the election race, but we will defend his right to the last minute,” Mr Massoudi told Reuters.

Mr Zammel was arrested on September 2 over allegations that he falsified signatures gathered as a requirement to contest for the presidency. He was released four days later but rearrested over similar allegations.

This comes as Tunisia prepare for the presidential election on October 6.