Egypt’s presidential campaign has kicked into full gear, and naturally the top opposition candidate was just arrested.

A retired top general named Sami Anan, seen as the last remaining real threat to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, was dragged out of his car in the street by armed men at about 11:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, Mahmoud Refaat, a spokesman for Anan’s campaign, told VICE News. Anan’s arrest comes just days after he announced plans to challenge el-Sisi for the presidency in a vote scheduled for March.

“There is no legal basis to arrest him,” Refaat said, calling the move politically motivated.

The cops didn’t just throw Anan in jail. They went after dozens of his campaign staff, too, and even members of their families, Refaat said.

“Yesterday 30 members of the campaign staff were arrested,” Refaat said, along with “some of their family members.” Those taken into custody are being held in an “unknown place,” he said. Anan himself was taken to the Military Prosecutor’s office in Cairo, Reuters reported, citing his son and one of his lawyers.

Egypt’s presidential campaign has kicked into full gear, and naturally the top opposition candidate was just arrested.

A retired top general named Sami Anan, seen as the last remaining real threat to Egyptian President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi, was dragged out of his car in the street by armed men at about 11:00 a.m. Tuesday morning, Mahmoud Refaat, a spokesman for Anan’s campaign, told VICE News. Anan’s arrest comes just days after he announced plans to challenge el-Sisi for the presidency in a vote scheduled for March.