Lotfi Mraihi is in prison, facing serious charges. The Secretary General of Tunisia's Republican People's Union and a candidate for the country's upcoming presidential elections, Mraihi has been accused of money laundering and illegally moving money abroad.

Mraihi was arrested this week after he announced his intention to run in the early October vote. When Mraihi ran in 2019, he received around 6.5% of the vote.

Other politicians who have expressed an interest in running for the country's highest office or are considered potential candidates have also been targeted by authorities.

There is a warrant out for the arrest of journalist and politician Safi Said, for instance, who is accused of forgery and fraud. Still other potential candidates have been put in prison or live in exile.

Moreover, the authorities are not just cracking down on potential candidates but on critical voices in general. In May, Sonia Dahmani, a lawyer known for her criticism of the increasingly authoritarian President Kais Saied, was arrested in a television studio as cameras were recording. In early July, she was sentenced to one year in prison for allegedly spreading false news.

Rached Ghannouchi, a fierce critic of Saied and leader of the relatively moderate Islamist opposition party Ennahda, has been behind bars since last year. He was convicted of incitement against the police and conspiracy against state........

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