A key Tunisian opposition figure and potential candidate for the upcoming presidential election arrested in October was sentenced to two years in prison late Monday night, according to local media.
Abir Moussi, 49, head of the Free Destourian Party and a former parliament member, had submitted her candidacy on Saturday via her lawyers, two days before her sentence, as reported by local radio Mosaique FM.
Moussi, a critic of the incumbent Tunisian President Kais Saied, has been sentenced under Decree 54, a law enacted by Saied in 2022 to combat "false news."
The High Independent Authority for Elections (ISIE) filed complaints against Moussi in February after she made public statements criticising ISIE as the country prepares for its presidential election.
'War of liberation'
On Monday morning, President Saied submitted his official candidacy for the election set to take place on October 6.
Upon registering his candidacy, Saied, 66, told reporters in the capital Tunis that his candidacy was part of "a war of liberation and self-determination" aiming to "establish a new republic."
That was shortly before three key presidential hopefuls said authorities had rejected their requests to access their criminal records—a requirement for candidates to register for the election.
Moussi, 49, a renowned politician and former lawmaker, was arrested on October 3 in front of the presidential palace, where she came to file appeals against decrees issued by Saied.
Legal hurdle
If the sentencing is upheld on appeal or later proceedings, Moussi will officially be barred from running for office, as one of the candidacy criteria is that hopefuls must have a clean criminal record.
She is accused of other crimes, including "attacks that aim to change the form of government," in addition to her prosecution under Decree 54.
Critics have said the law has been used to stifle political dissent as the country prepares for the election in which Saied is the frontrunner.
Media personality Nizar Chaari was also handed an eight-month sentence Monday night, days after three staffers on his campaign were arrested on suspicions of forging signatures.
Saied on Monday, however, denied that his government was mistreating critical voices, saying that "whoever talks about restrictions is delusional."
"I did not oppress anyone, and the law applies to everyone equally," he said. "I am here as a citizen to run for office."
➤ Click here to follow our WhatsApp channel for more stories.
