By Lucy Adautin
Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel remained in custody on Friday, despite being briefly released a day earlier, according to his campaign team.
Zammel is one of three candidates cleared by Tunisia’s electoral commission to contest the October 6 presidential election, which opposition figures claim is biased in favor of President Kais Saied.
He faces accusations of election-related misconduct.
After being initially arrested on Monday, a judge ordered his release on Thursday. However, reports on Friday says that Zammel had been freed from police custody following his initial release, only to be detained again.
His campaign team said he was still in custody on Friday. Mahdi Abdel Jawed said: “Zammel is still under arrest since last night, just minutes after he was released.”
He is accused of forging voter forms for the upcoming election, in which each candidate must submit forms from 10,000 supporters to qualify. Zammel denies the accusation.
He claims he is facing restrictions and intimidation because he poses a strong challenge to President Saied. Zammel has vowed to restore democracy, protect freedoms, and revive Tunisia’s struggling economy.
Saied, who was elected in 2019, expanded his power and began ruling by decree in 2021, a move that opposition parties have labeled a coup.
Key political groups argue that Saied’s tenure has undermined the democratic achievements of Tunisia’s 2011 revolution.
Opposition parties and human rights organizations have accused the authorities of imposing arbitrary restrictions to secure Saied’s re-election.
In addition to Zammel and Saied, Zouhair Maghzaoui is also approved to run in the election.
