Election Monitoring Coalition Condemns Arbitrary Arrests of MB and Leftist Supporters

Election Monitoring Coalition Condemns Arbitrary Arrests of MB and Leftist Supporters

 The Independent Coalition for Monitoring the Election, which consists of the Egyptian Association for Community participation Enhancement (EACPE), Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and Principal for Feminist Studies, issued its third report on field work observations for the 2010 legislative elections. The report condemned arbitrary arrests by security forces of 361 supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood and leftist candidates as well as the decisions issued by the Ministers of Interior and Information on the upcoming November elections.
 
The report said that the period before the opening of the doors of the nomination was accompanied by a number of administrative and security procedures that would resolve the electoral process for the candidates of the ruling party through a number of administrative decisions issued by the Minister of Interior which maximizes the role of the administrative and security forces in the electoral process.
 
The report criticized an announcement by the interior minister to open the door for candidacy without issuing a formal resolution specifying the documents necessary to apply for nomination, making independents and Muslim Brotherhood candidates who attempted to register to run for the polls, be harassed by administrative and security forces when they went to issue transcripts of citizenship and ballot cards without the candidates knowing they are not eligible to lodge the required documents.
 
“The minister of information’s decision to form a committee monitor and correct campaign ads posted on radio and television is transcended to the higher committee supervising the elections,” the report said. The HEC was formed by staff appointed by the Ministry of Information as some were identified as members of the ruling NDP.