Prison sentences for Tunisian presidential candidates... Reason: Making "false promises"
Three individuals who announced their candidacy for the presidential elections to be held in Tunisia on October 6, including Work and Achievement Party leader Abdellatif el-Mekki, have been sentenced to 8 months in prison each and a lifetime ban from elections for violating election laws.
12punto
In a hearing held today at the Tunis Court of First Instance, Work and Achievement Party leader Mekki, businessman Nizar ech-Chaari, and retired civil servant Mohamed Adel ed-Dou were each sentenced to 8 months in prison and a lifetime ban from elections on charges of "giving gifts to influence voters and making false promises."
Farouk Bouasker, head of the country's Independent High Authority for Elections, announced in July that candidacy applications for the presidential elections to be held on October 6 would be accepted between July 29 and August 6.
Following the completion of candidacy applications for the presidential elections, which the majority of the opposition in Tunisia is boycotting, the names of those whose candidacies are accepted will be shared with the public after an evaluation by the election commission between August 7 and August 10.