Hopeful candidates to Tunisia's presidential election complain of restrictions
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00:00In her living room in Tunis, Fayza Chebbi reflects on her husband's political career.
00:06That's when he was an MP.
00:09Essam Chebbi, secretary-general of the Al-Jumhouri party and an opponent of President Qais Ayat,
00:15has been in prison for more than a year.
00:17He's been arrested on charges of conspiracy against state security.
00:20He wanted to be a candidate in the upcoming October 6 presidential election,
00:24but neither his lawyer nor his party were able to get power of attorney to collect signatures on his behalf.
00:29We faced many difficulties from the start.
00:34Same for the party who chose him as their candidate.
00:38And so Essam threw in the towel and announced his retirement
00:43because it seems there's nothing left to do.
00:46It's in the state's hands to do whatever it wants.
00:49Other potential candidates faced similar administrative obstacles,
00:56like Abir Moussi, another jailed political opposition figure,
00:59and the president of the Free Destroying Party.
01:02Her lawyers still filed her incomplete application and said they will fight in court.
01:07We're going to the appeals court citing what we call le fait du prince or act of government,
01:15a scenario covered under Tunisian law as a force majeure.
01:19This means it is impossible for a citizen to fulfil something
01:25and if that's being caused by the state, we call that an act of government.
01:30According to activist groups and political parties,
01:34there's a tense and anti-democratic atmosphere looming over Tunisia.
01:38We are demanding equal treatment for all candidates.
01:42The repression of rights and people's liberties has to stop.
01:46If it doesn't, we can't talk about transparent and democratic elections.
01:52Despite accusations to the contrary, the Electoral Commission defended itself,
01:56saying it is objective and only acting according to its constitutional mandate.