A Tunisian court has sentenced presidential candidate Ayachi Zammel to six months in prison for using fraudulent certificates, state-run TAP news agency reports.

Zammel’s lawyer, Abdessattar Massoudi, slammed the ruling as a politically motivated attempt to derail his client’s election bid. “This unjust verdict aims to weaken Ayachi Zammel’s chances,” Massoudi said.

This development comes ahead of Tunisia’s presidential election on October 6. Zammel was arrested twice, first on September 2, for allegedly falsifying signatures required to run.

Incumbent President Kais Saied faces opposition in his re-election bid, with critics accusing him of consolidating power and stifling dissent.

Protests and criticism from opposition parties and civil society groups have escalated concerns about Tunisia’s democratic future.