Tunisian court jails four presidential candidates and bars them from elections

FILE PHOTO: A woman walks near the Palace of Justice in Tunis, Tunisia May 13, 2024. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaoui/File Photo

TUNIS (Reuters) -A Tunisian court on Monday sentenced four potential presidential election candidates to eight months in prison and banned them from running for office on a charge of vote buying, politicians and a lawyer told Reuters, a move they said was aimed at excluding serious competitors of President Kais Saied.

The ruling reinforces the fears of opposition parties, candidates and human rights groups who have accused authorities of using arbitrary restrictions and intimidation in order to ensure the reelection of Saied in a vote set for Oct. 6.