Tunisian Presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel sentenced to 12 years in prison but remains in the race

Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel has been sentenced to 12 years in prison, according to his lawyer, but will still remain a contender in the upcoming election scheduled for Sunday. This sentence adds to two previous convictions handed down recently.

Ayachi Zammel was sentenced by the Tunis 2 First Instance Court to 12 years in prison across four cases related to the issue of sponsorships, receiving three years for each case, his lawyer Abdessater Messoudi told AFP on Tuesday.

In addition to the prison sentence, the court has prohibited Zammel from voting in the upcoming election. Despite these legal challenges, Zammel remains a candidate for the presidential election.

Zammel's lawyer did not provide further details on the nature of the charges related to the sponsorships, but his client's participation in the electoral process continues to raise questions about the integrity of the race and the ability of candidates to compete fairly.

This development adds another layer of complexity to the Tunisian political landscape, where recent elections have been marred by legal and political disputes. 

It remains unclear how Zammel's legal situation will impact the broader electoral process and the outcome of the presidential race.