Partners in the Nation
Municipal Elections Monitoring Campaign, April 2008
PRESS STATEMENT
(English summary of Arabic press statement)

The Egyptian Association for Supporting Democratic Development (EASD) and the Egyptian Center for Development and Democratic Studies (ECDDS) deployed 4,700 observers to monitor the voting process in the municipal elections across 24 governorates; as governorates of Fayyoum and Ismailia were closed by acclamation.

EASD and ECDDS call on the election administration authorities to strictly implement the Egyptian legal framework on elections and thus ensure equal opportunities between candidates and voters’ rights.

EASD observers continued to report a series of violations of the Law on Exercising Political and Civil Rights, including:

• Expelling and denying observers access to polling stations
• Ballot Stuffing
• Acts of violence
• Election campaigning
• Group Voting
• Temporary Closing of Polling Stations
• Violating Voters’ Rights
•  Non-availability of indelible voter ink
• Prevention of candidate agents to access polling stations

Electoral Transgressions

(Note: For more incidents please refer to the Arabic version of this statement.)

Expelling and denying observers access to polling stations

In the Preparatory School for Girls, Hawamdiyya district, Giza Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers Zainab Mahdi, Hend Abdullah, Islam Mahmoud, Ahmad Abdel Megied, Mustafa Reda Abdel Azeem and Mustafa Abu Zeid were sent out of polling stations.

In polling stations # (102 – 104), Abu Bakr El-Sedeeq School, Imbaba district, Giza Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers Mustafa Saad Gommaa and Yehia Ahmad Hashem were forced outside polling stations.

Ballot Stuffing

In polling stations # (95 – 96 – 97 – 98), Talkhan Elementary School, Saff district, Giza Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported ballot stuffing committed by polling station employees.

In polling stations # (9 – 10 – 11), Muhammad Shaker Elementary School, Beni Swif district, Beni Swif Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported ballot stuffing in favor for an NDP candidate.

Acts of violence

In polling station # (3), Abu Simbel School, Aswan Center district, Aswan Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported denying candidates and candidate agents entrance and allowing Omar El-Sherrif, Head of the Municipal Council of Abu Simbel city, and NDP candidate agents inside; in addition to closing the polling station for 30 minutes and preventing people from approaching. This resulted in a clash between candidates and polling station employees and Omar El-Sherrif was sent out of the station with great difficulty.

In polling stations # (19 – 21 – 22), High School for Girls, El-Hammol district, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers Danna Gamal Abdel Aziz and Lamiaa Ezzat were attacked by NDP candidate agents and their monitoring manuals were taken from them.

Election campaigning

In polling stations # (9 – 10 – 11), Muhammad Shaker Elementary School, Beni Swif district, Beni Swif Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported election campaigning for NDP candidate Mustafa Muhammad El-Gendi (Key Symbol) inside polling station, and NDP lists on doors for NDP candidates Hala Mustafa (Camel Symbol) and Ashraf Muhammad Anwar (Moon Symbol).

In polling station # (sub 71 B), El-Helal School for Girls, Beni Swif district, Beni Swif Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported the presence of the NDP candidate only inside polling station; in addition to campaigning for NDP candidates.

Group Voting

In Ahmad Orabi School polling station, El-Nozha district, Cairo Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported seeing 10 buses of the Military Factory 81 carrying about 50 persons each. These persons were campaigning for NDP candidates and entering polling stations in big groups.

Temporary Closing of Polling Stations

In the Religious Institute polling station, Sherbin district, Daqahliya Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported closing the Institute from 09:15 to 10:45 AM.

In polling stations # (19 – 21 – 22), the High School for Girls, El-Hammol district, Kafr El-Shiekh Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported closing stations for 30 minutes before opening them again.

Violating Voters’ Rights

In polling station # (36), El-Shaheed El-Malekki School, Sers El-Layyan district, Menufeyya Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported the presence of Muhammad El-Arabi, former head of Sers El-Layyan municipal council and owner of private car n # 166666, and Tareq Ismail of the NDP pressuring voters to prevent them from voting to Muslim Brotherhood candidate Salah El-Essawi.

In Dahi Preparatory School, Qelleen district, Kafr El-Shiekh Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported denying voters their right to vote in polling stations.

In Shagaret El-Dor Elementary School polling station, Qelleen district, Kafr El-Shiekh Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported denying voters their right to vote in polling stations.

Non-availability of indelible voter ink

In polling station # (19), El-Ismailia School, Kafr Saad district, Damitta Governorate, EASD and ECDDS observers reported the non-availability of indelible voter ink in the polling station.

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Released April 8th, 2008