An Egyptian court announced on Monday that former presidential candidate Ahmed Tantawy had been found guilty of faking electoral paperwork and had been sentenced to one year in prison with labor. This is a big development in Egyptian politics. In addition, Tantawy will not be allowed to run for office for the next five years as a result of this verdict, which his supporters and attorney claim is an intentional attempt to keep him off politics.
During the most recent election cycle, prominent Egyptian politician Ahmed Tantawy became a strong opponent of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. Tantawy’s decision to halt his presidential campaign was a significant turning point in his political career. He claimed significant interference by organizations with ties impeded his attempts to secure the public support needed to register as an official candidate. Furthermore, Tantawy revealed that the campaign faced severe disruptions including the arrest of dozens of his relatives and campaign associates, although authorities have consistently denied these accusations.
The allegations against Tantawy are related to his campaign’s decision to disseminate its own endorsement forms, which the authorities claimed broke electoral laws. Tantawy was initially given a suspended sentence in February after a lower court found him guilty of similar offenses. But the ruling from the earlier court hearing was affirmed in the most recent session, which resulted in his arrest without charge and transportation to a prison.
Tantawy was also fined 20,000 Egyptian pounds, or around $424, by the court in addition to the prison term. His political career has been dealt a serious setback, underscoring the gravity of the court’s decision, as he is prohibited from running for office in municipal, legislative, or presidential elections in the future.
Rasha Qandeel, Tantawy’s wife and the spokesperson for his political movement, expressed her dismay at the verdict, labeling it as “political liquidation” and a targeted attack against her husband. “This is not just a verdict against Ahmed, it’s a message to silence dissent and discourage opposition,” Qandeel stated in an interview with Reuters.
Tantawy’s attorney, Khaled Ali, affirmed that they intend to appeal the ruling. But he warned that it might take up to two months to start the appeals process, during which Tantawy would stay imprisoned. This delay affects Tantawy’s chances of successfully contesting the decision.
Under President Sisi’s leadership, there has been continuous political persecution, which sets the stage for Tantawy’s punishment. International human rights groups have regularly criticized Sisi, who won over 90% of the vote to win a third term in power last December. Although Egyptian officials adamantly deny the existence of political prisoners in the nation, these groups believe that tens of thousands have been imprisoned for political reasons since Sisi came to power.
