If you can not go to debate, the debate will come to you. Tunisian national television chief Mohamed Lassaad Dahech said on Wednesday (September 25th) that his channel would be ready to organize the debate between the candidates of the second round of the presidential election in prison, in case the media magnate Nabil Karoui , currently in pre-trial detention, would still be behind bars.
The justice was to decide Wednesday, September 25 on the release of Nabil Karoui, founder of a television channel broadcasting without license and continued since 2017 for money laundering and tax evasion. But once again, it has rejected his decision, Wednesday, October 2, said Kamel Ben Massoud, Nabil Karoui's lawyer.
>> To read also: "Tunisia: the legal puzzle around Nabil Karoui, candidate in prison"
On 15 September, Kaïs Saïed, a university campaigner against the ruling parties, led the first round with 18.4 percent of the vote, ahead of Nabil Karoui, who won 15.58 percent of the vote after running multiple elections. Televised charity operations. The date of the arrest of the businessman, ten days before the start of the campaign, had raised questions about the instrumentalization of justice by politics.
A green light from the authorities for the debate?
"If justice does not allow the candidate Nabil Karoui to participate in this televised debate outside the prison, we are ready to do it within the prison," said Mohamed Lassaad Dahech.
This would nevertheless require a green light from the judicial authorities and the second candidate, the lawyer Kaïs Saïed, he added at a press conference in Tunis.
Two debates lasting one hour each are planned before the second round of the presidential election, provided that both candidates can participate. Their date will be fixed once confirmed that of the second round. The vote could take place on October 6, at the same time as the legislative elections if the candidates disappointed in the first round do not appeal their appeal. Otherwise, it will most likely take place on October 13th.
Unpublished debates in the history of modern Tunisia
For the first time in its history, Tunisian television had organized three televised political parties with 26 candidates of the first round, an extremely rare event in the Arab world and very followed in Tunisia.
The body responsible for organizing the elections (Isie) and the audiovisual regulator (Haica) have asked the court to authorize Nabil Karoui to participate in this debate, without response until then.
Several foreign election observation missions, as well as disappointed first-round candidates have called for Nabil Karoui to campaign fairly for the second round of presidential elections.
For the legislative elections of October 6, two debates will be organized on October 1 and 2 between 9 representatives of independent lists, coalitions and political parties, said Mohamed Lassaad Dahech.
National security will be the theme of the first debate and external relations will be the subject of the second. Each debate will last 2 hours and 35 minutes, he said.
With AFP