• MB News
  • June 24, 2010
  • 6 minutes read

MB: Boycotting elections gives fake legitimacy to the regime

MB: Boycotting elections gives fake legitimacy to the regime

Dr. Essam El Eryan media spokesman for the Muslim Brotherhood bloc and  Executive Bureau member  stated during a seminar  that national and political forces needed to work together in order to encourage the Egyptian people to vote in the elections and persuade them that they can bring change.

 In a seminar organized by the National Association for Change (NAC) at the Journalists Syndicate to evaluate the Shura Council’s elections, El Eryan maintained that mass political participation was very crucial and their actions to protect their rights are significant in deciding on the outcome of the elections. He called for organizing workshops to discuss procedures leading to the upcoming Parliamentary elections and to expose the rigging of elections. El Eryan claimed that boycotting elections offers false legitimacy to the regime, which it doesn’t deserve.

He explained that the regime took advantage of the elections boycotted between 1990 and 1995 to give itself legitimacy, although there were parties which could have challenged and embarrassed it in front of the public opinion and abroad.

MB MP Ashraf Badr Eldin ascertained that there is no suitable Committee to supervise elections and the Ministry of Interior and its Security Forces assumes its role.

He accused the Supreme supervising  Committee for Elections of allowing the ministry of interior to rig  elections and use violence against electorates,  announcing only the results and statements sent by the Ministry of Interior. He also accused the committee members of accepting bribes in the form of gifts worth thousands of pounds adding that the General Prosecutors, Police stations and hospitals were given orders not to receive any complaints submitted by the opposition regarding the elections. This was contrary to actions taken when a NDP MP submitted an appeal accusing the MB of using religious mottos where the complaint was referred to court.

MB Candidates from numerous constituencies asserted that they all faced opposition once they applied for nomination. 

Chancellor Mahmoud elKhodeiri, former deputy president of the Court of Cessation and coordinator for “Egyptian for Free and Fair Elections Movement” called for prosecuting individuals who took part in the rigging of elections on charges of treason, because it forges the will of an entire nation. He described forgery as systematic in Egypt’s elections. El Khodeiri  called on judges to perform their roles in supervising elections as well as uniting with lawyers against the conspiracies planned by the regime for them.

Dr. Hassan Nafaa, Former Secretary General of the Arab Thoughts Forum and coordinator for NAC called for judicial, national and international supervision of elections. He pointed out that the NAC is still considering whether to boycott the next elections or participate in a joint list.

 Abul Ezz elHariri, a Tagammu Party leader accused some party leaders of treason and support of the regime in forging elections and also called for full international supervision of elections.

Sakina Fouad, Journalist and Deputy Chairman of the Democratic Front called for light to be shed on additional cases against the regimes violation in order to expose it both in Egypt and abroad.