Tunisian Presidential Candidate Zammel Remains Detained, According to Campaign Team

Tunisian Presidential Candidate Zammel Remains in Custody

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS – Ayachi Zammel, a candidate in Tunisia’s upcoming presidential election, is reportedly still detained as of Friday. This follows his brief release the day prior, according to his campaign team.

Zammel is one of three candidates approved by Tunisia’s electoral commission to participate in the presidential election scheduled for October 6. Critics from the opposition have alleged that the electoral process is rigged to benefit the current president, Kais Saied.

Authorities have accused Zammel of irregularities related to the election. He was initially arrested on Monday, and a judge ordered his release on Thursday. However, reports suggest he was re-arrested shortly thereafter, and his campaign team confirmed that he remains in custody.

His campaign spokesperson, Mahdi Abdel Jawed, stated, "Zammel is still under arrest since last night, just minutes after he was released." The accusations against him include falsifying voter registration forms, which candidates need to submit with endorsements from 10,000 supporters to qualify for the election. Zammel has denied these allegations.

He claims to be facing intimidation due to his status as a serious challenger to President Saied. Zammel has committed to restoring democracy, ensuring freedoms, and addressing Tunisia’s struggling economy.

President Saied was democratically elected in 2019 but has since consolidated power, ruling by decree since 2021, an action that many in the opposition regard as a coup. Major political factions assert that Saied’s rule has undermined the democratic progress achieved during Tunisia’s 2011 revolution.

Opposition parties and human rights organizations have accused the authorities of imposing arbitrary restrictions to facilitate Saied’s re-election efforts. In addition to Zammel and Saied, politician Zouhair Maghzaoui is also approved to run in the presidential race.