Tunisia court upholds continued detention of presidential candidate

A Tunisian appeals court on Tuesday upheld the detention of media magnate Nabil Karoui, a candidate in a Sept. 15 presidential election, on suspicion of tax fraud and money laundering, his lawyer said.

Karoui had sought to be freed, but the court “rejected the demand to release” him, the lawyer Kamel Ben Massoud told Reuters without giving details or further comment.

Last Saturday, the head of the country’s electoral commission said Karoui remains in the race for Tunisia’s upcoming presidential election despite his arrest for alleged money laundering.