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EOHR presents complaint to the Supreme Committee on Elections about violations during Shura Council elections
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20/5/2007
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) today presented a complaint to the Supreme Committee on Elections and the National Council of Human Rights about the many violations which occurred when candidates' nomination papers were received during the Shura Council elections. The most significant violations included:
- The refusal to accept the papers of Hamza Sabr in the Kahr el Zayaat constituency
- The Alexandria security directorate in Smouha was surrounded by members of the security forces and candidates prevented from submitting their nomination papers
- When Gamal Hanafy, a member of the People's Assembly, and Abdel Mohsen el Samary went to the Menoufiyya security directorate in order to present candidate nomination papers on behalf of the candidate they were physically assaulted, their clothes were ripped and the nomination papers destroyed
- Security forces surrounded the Gharbeyya security directorate and prevented members of the public from submitting nomination papers.
These violations compromise the probity of the election process and associated procedures. This conflicts with article 62 of the Egyptian Constitution which gives citizens the right to vote, to nominate candidates for election and express their opinion in referenda according to the provisions of the law. Participation in public life is in addition a citizen's duty.
At the conclusion of the complaint EOHR recommends an inquiry into these transgressions and demands that the nomination papers of the candidates described above be accepted.
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