Former Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan, a rival to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, has been barred from vying in the upcoming Palestinian presidential elections, a senior Palestinian official said Tuesday.
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"Dahlan cannot run for president because he does not have a clean record. No one can run for office with a conviction registered with the Justice Ministry," said Azzam al-Ahmad, member of the Fatah Central Committee, during a phone call.
Dahlan is seen as a leading candidate to replace 84-year-old Mahmoud Abbas.
A former Fatah leader and former Palestinian Authority security minister, Dahlan was expelled from the West Bank following a political conflict with current PA leadership.
A Palestinian court found him guilty in absentia for corruption and sentenced him to several years in prison. His supporters say the accusations were "politically motivated."
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Abbas issued a decree earlier this month ordering the first Palestinian elections in more than 14 years. The last polls took place in 2006 and resulted in a parliamentary majority for the terrorist group Hamas.
Representatives of Fatah and Hamas are also due to meet in Cairo in early February to discuss issues related to the elections.
i24NEWS contributed to this report.
