Algiers: An Algiers court said on Monday that three rejected presidential candidates were placed under “judicial supervision” while 68 others, including elected officials, were temporarily detained as part of an investigation into electoral fraud.
They are suspected to be involved in “signature selling” for the upcoming presidential election on September 7. Candidates need to accumulate a large amount to qualify for the candidates.
“Eighty-eight defendants were placed in temporary custody, three were placed under judicial supervision, and six were released after trial,” the court said in a statement.
Last week, Algiers' court attorney general Lotfi Boudjema told state news agency APS that “more than 50 elected officials” admitted to illegally receiving money to support presidential candidates.
On Monday, the three candidates placed under judicial supervision were named Saida Negza, former minister Belkacem Sahli and relatively unknown hopeful Abdelhakim Hamadi.
If they are not arrested, they will be required to check in with authorities regularly until the investigation is complete.
Boudjema said last week that those involved in fraud “will be caught.”
At a press conference before officially submitting his candidacy last month, Negza complained that the process of obtaining registration and signatures was “difficult”.
She said that she is hopeful that the election process will be free of any bias in an environment of transparency and integrity.
To appear on the ballot, candidates need to present a list of at least 50,000 personal signatures from registered voters or 600 members of at least 29 provincial assemblies in Algeria.
Only three hopefuls, including incumbent Abdelmajid Tebboune, had their candidacies approved for the September 7 election.
Abdelali Hassani of the moderate Islamist party Movement of Society for Peace and Youssef Auchiche of the center-left Socialist Forces Front will run against Tebboune.
Another 13 hopefuls had their candidacies rejected after they failed to gather the required number of signatures of support.
