The Committee for Justice (CFJ) has released its second bulletin on monitoring the Tunisian presidential elections, as part of its project “The Right to Free Elections.” This bulletin covers the activities and practices of the electoral process from August 8 to August 15, 2024.
The bulletin provides an overview of the recent developments in the Tunisian presidential election process, highlighting significant violations of civil and political rights, as well as breaches of the electoral law. It focuses on the ongoing challenges faced by candidates and the actions taken by authorities that undermine the integrity of the electoral process.
The bulletin discusses the announcement by the Independent High Authority for Elections (ISIE) on August 10, which granted preliminary approval to three presidential candidates out of 17 applications: the current president Kais Saied, the Secretary-General of the People’s Movement Party, Zouhair Magraoui, and political activist Ayachi Zammal.
It also notes the continued intimidation of candidates and their supporters, such as the case of the potential presidential candidate Karim Gharbi (known as “Kaddourim”), and the in absentia sentencing of another potential candidate, Naji Jalloul. Even the officially accepted presidential candidate Ayachi Zammal was summoned for investigation due to his opinions! Additionally, political writer and activist Safi Saied issued a statement announcing his withdrawal from what he described as a “sham election.”
Moreover, the Tunisian Journalists’ Syndicate warned of an environment filled with “intimidation” concerning media coverage of the presidential elections, due to the ISIE’s authority over and monitoring of media coverage.
