Because the president runs for a brand new time period, critics say credible elections can’t be held except jailed opposition politicians are freed.
Tunisian President Kais Saied has introduced he’ll search a brand new five-year time period in elections scheduled for October.
Saied’s announcement comes because the opposition says honest and credible elections can’t be held except jailed politicians are launched and the media is allowed to do its job with out authorities stress.
“I formally announce my candidacy for the presidential elections on October 6 to proceed the combat for nationwide liberation,” Saied, who has dominated by decree since suspending parliament in July 2021, mentioned Friday in a video launched by his workplace.
Talking from the southern area of Tataouine, the 66-year-old mentioned he was responding to the “sacred name of the nation” that left him no selection however to run for a second time period.
In July, Saied known as for presidential elections to be held on October 6.
A number of potential contenders who had introduced their candidacy are in jail or dealing with prosecution.
In his announcement, Saied known as on “all those that are making ready to sponsor [candidates] to keep away from any corruption.”
Lotfi Mraihi, chief of the opposition Republican Union get together, was sentenced on Friday to eight months in jail on prices of vote-buying and given a life ban from operating for president, Tunisian media reported.
Amongst Saied’s most distinguished critics, Mraihi was arrested in July on suspicion of cash laundering.
Repression of political opposition
Abir Moussi, chief of the Free Constitutional Get together and a number one candidate, has been in jail since final yr on prices of endangering public security.
Moussi’s get together has mentioned she was jailed to take away her from the presidential race, a declare denied by authorities.
Different candidates, together with Safi Saeed, Nizar Chaari and Abd Ellatif Mekki, face prosecution on prices together with fraud and cash laundering.
Issam Chebbi, chief of the primary opposition get together, the Nationwide Salvation Entrance, who was arrested in February 2023 for “conspiring towards the state,” dropped out of the race on Thursday, his get together mentioned.
Rached Ghannouchi, a distinguished opposition chief and former speaker of parliament, has been in jail since April 2023 on prices that his Ennahdha get together acquired international contributions, which he and his supporters declare are unfounded.
Amnesty Worldwide mentioned this week that Tunisian authorities had “intensified their repression of the political opposition”.
Saied, a former constitutional legislation professor, was elected to workplace in 2019 as a staunch anti-establishment activist who promised to root out corruption.
