Elections in Egypt

 

The elections for the Egyptian parliament are in progres this Sunday. How they proceed is described in this tweet by human rights activist Ramy Raoof and others:  

few hours after opening poll stations in #EgyElections: at least 150 cases of Arrest/Detention, 2 dead and at least 6 sites blocked. #Egypt

  falsification of voting cards in poll station number 27 in Domiat governorate

 Egypt election: Sobhi Salah, a Muslim Brotherhood candidate just survived an assassination attempt.

Moreover The Daily News Egypt reported that the Administrative Court, two days ago, cancelled the elections in 24 districts after its orders to reinstate opposition and independent candidates were ignored by officials. These include 12 districts in the Nile Delta governorates, 10 districts in Alexandria, and two in Upper Egypt.


Whoever wants to read background about the situation in the weeks leading to election day, click here for a detailed report by Human Rights Watch. It can be summed up as follows: 1200 followers of Muslim Brotherhood arrested, as well as een number of followers of Mohammed ElBaradei's movement for Change, two popular tv-shows closed, elctions rallies disturbed by security forces and additoional arrests, opposition candidates candidates barred, insufficient supervision by judges or other impartial parties on vote rigging (which will undoubtedly occur massively, as was the case with former elections. 

Riots accompanied the elction in Alexandria.

As the results for sure will be without big suprises, the turnout is not expected to exceed 10%. An update will follow later.