Tunisian presidential hopeful Ayachi Zammel sentenced to 20 months in jail

Candidate was arrested two weeks ago on charges of falsifying signatures to file his candidacy

Lawyer Ramzi Jebabli said Mr Zammel would not be withdrawing from the presidential race. EPA

A Tunisian judge has sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to 20 months in prison on charges of falsifying and buying signatures required to file his candidacy, his lawyer told The National.

The decision by the Court of First Instance in Jendouba governorate follows the sentencing of two other candidates last month – Nizar Chaari and Karim Gharbi – on similar signature fraud charges. Lawyer Ramzi Jebabli said on Thursday that Mr Zammel also faces other charges in Jendouba in connection with the use and breach of voters' personal information, with the date of the next trial set for September 25.

Similar cases have been filed by Tunisian prosecutors against Mr Zammel in other governorates, including Siliana and Kairouan. However, judges at El Kef governorate's Court of First Instance on Thursday dismissed one case against him relating to election fraud charges.

Several members of Mr Zammel's electoral campaign team and Azimoun party are also facing charges. But unlike the others, Mr Zammel has been kept in pretrial detention since September 4.

Mohamed Tlili Mansri, a spokesman for Tunisia's Independent High Authority for Elections, told state-owned news agency TAP that Mr Zammel will remain in the race regardless of the prison sentence.

“This will have no impact on his current presence in the electoral race or on the overall electoral process,” Mr Mansri said.

He said judicial and electoral proceedings are separate and that the list of candidates already finalised cannot be overturned by a subsequent court ruling.

Lawyer Mr Jebabli also said the sentence will have no impact on Mr Zammel's election plans, adding that his defence team are confident he will be acquitted of all charges on appeal.

“We have considered all potential scenarios from the beginning and have already agreed that Ayachi Zammel will lead an electoral campaign from inside his cell,” he told The National.