Ikhwanweb :: The Muslim Brotherhood Official English Website

Judges Express Concern over Elections’ Integrity

State-run newspapers and National Democratic Party (NDP) officials continue to live in oblivion announcing Sunday’s parliamentary elections as democratic despite numerous reports of rigging, violations, irregularities and violence.

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State-run newspapers and National Democratic Party (NDP) officials continue to live in oblivion announcing Sunday’s parliamentary elections as democratic despite numerous reports of rigging, violations, irregularities and violence.

Rulings by Egypt’s administrative justice courts to end the elections in response to candidates’ complaints fell on deaf ears and were completely ignored, prompting judges to express concerns regarding the integrity of the electoral process.
                 
Contradicting statements by NDP officials were given to the state-run Al-Ahram, who objected to allegations of fraud by the popular Muslim Brotherhood and other political factions. The NDP’s secretary general praised the election and its integrity, arguing that the groups making such allegations did so to cover their losses and inability to gain voters’ support adding that democracy entails acknowledging one’s loss.

He brushed aside the clashes that occurred in some districts, describing them as normal, stressing that such clashes are common throughout the world.

According to Al-Ahram’s editor-in-chief, Ossama Saraya, in spite of allegations of fraud “our democracy has scored victories“. Mohammed Barakat, editor-in-chief of Al-Akhbar, agreed with Saraya and praised the High Elections Commission and the police but criticized media agencies who claimed that grave electoral violations were widespread.

Abdul Aziz Omar, head of the High Elections Commission, asserted that the commission had to disqualify 120 ballot boxes, explaining that they executed all the rulings issued by administrative justice courts except in cases where such rulings were contested, saying that the courts need time to adjudicate these claims.

Concern has been expressed by Egypt’s prominent judges about the way the elections have been conducted. Ahmed Mikki, president of the court of appeals, noted that the 2010 elections were similar to previous elections owing to the lack of any serious intention to guarantee the integrity of the elections. He added that measures including cleaning up voter registries and ensuring candidates’ representatives have access to polling stations were significant if elections were to be free and fair. Former head of the Judges’ Club, Zakaria Abdul Aziz, added that the absence of judicial monitoring of the elections has led citizens to lose confidence in casting their vote.

Former head of the State Council, Mohamed Hamed al-Gamal, labeled the elections as anything but legitimate indicating that administrative justice rulings had not been implemented.

Abdul Aziz Omar, head of the High Elections Commission, has highlighted that a number of complaints will be referred to the general prosecutor as the commission lacks the means to investigate the complaints which concern fraud, in particular with respect to filling out ballots in favor of NDP candidates.

Violent clashes continue to be recorded during the vote counting process. Privately-owned papers reported that in Sharqeya, five citizens died and 15 were injured during the final moments of the vote counting. According to the report, four unknown individuals fired shots at the school used as a primary polling station, where vote counting takes place and the district of Talkha witnessed violent clashes between candidate supporters which erupted after the voting process.