Registration for candidates in the October 6 presidential election opened on Monday and will close at 5:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) following Tuesday.
Critics of Saied from various political backgrounds have argued that the new, stricter endorsement requirements are making it almost impossible to qualify for the ballot.
Candidates must provide signatures from 10,000 registered voters, with a minimum of 500 signatures per constituency to be listed.
“The court sentenced three women to two-year prison terms, which they began serving immediately, and another woman, tried in absentia, to four years,” stated Alaeddine Aouadi, spokesman for the court in the northwestern town of Jendouba.
Aouadi announced that at Wednesday’s hearing, the four women were also barred from voting for 10 years. They were convicted of offering “money or gifts in kind” in exchange for voter endorsements for rapper-turned-businessman Karim Gharbi, also known as K2Rhym.
Saied, elected in 2019 and who consolidated power in 2021, is seeking re-election. Challengers include retired admiral Kamel Akrout and former minister Mondher Zenaidi, 74, who emphasizes his experience as an asset for Tunisia’s financial troubles.