The lawyer for Tunisian presidential candidate Ayachi Zemal said that the Jendouba court sentenced him on Wednesday to one year and eight months in prison on charges of forging documents and falsifying popular endorsements about three weeks before the elections.

The police arrested Zemal two weeks ago, and his lawyer says he faces more than 30 cases on suspicion of involvement in forging popular endorsements.

Zemmal’s lawyer, Mr. Abdel Sattar Al-Masoudi, said, “The ruling is political and unfair, and aims to harm his chances in the presidential race.”