Wyclef has been shot while in Haiti

PORT-AU-PRINCE-- Hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean was shot in the hand Saturday night on the eve of Haiti's tense presidential runoff election, but he has since been treated and released from a local hospital, according to his publicist.

“It was a minor graze to the hand,” said Cindy Tanenbaum, a Jean spokeswoman. No other details were available.

The Haitian-born star has been campaigning for presidential contender Michel “Sweet Micky” Martelly in a race that has already been tainted by fraud, violence and myriad irregularities.

A message on Jean's official Twitter page read: “We have spoken to Wyclef, he is ok. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.”

Jean attempted to run for president himself last year but was barred by Haiti's electoral commission, which said he was ineligible because he has been living in the United States.

Since then, he has thrown his considerable star power behind Martelly, 50, a musician-turned-politician, who is facing former first lady and university professor Mirlande Manigat, 70.

Sunday's runoff vote is viewed as a key step toward rebuilding Haiti, following the January 2010 earthquake that killed 200,000 and has left a million Haitians living in tent camps. Preliminary results from the election are not expected until March 31.