• EGYPT
  • September 2, 2015
  • 5 minutes read

Heshmat: Coup Parliament Elections Null and Void

Heshmat: Coup Parliament Elections Null and Void

 Dr. Gamal Heshmat, member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s Shura Council and head of the Egyptian Parliament abroad, said the upcoming parliamentary elections in Egypt are void.



In a statement, Dr. Heshmat said: "First, the basis on which the road map was built is false, because it was done at gunpoint, a full military coup d’état. This taints with illegitimacy all decisions made and laws passed thereafter.


"Second, the coup’s constitution and presidential elections were marred by fraud and lacked international standards."


The Speaker of the Egyptian Parliament abroad, went on, saying: "Third, the elections to be held are void before they start because they take place in an entirely exclusionary climate, with all opponents killed,  detained or hounded, and their parties, newspapers and TV channels shuttered.


"Needless to say, this is contrary to the climate of political competition, since all opponents are tortured and killed, jailed or hounded. Certainly, this is contrary to relevant international standards, which will expose all those who accept these sham elections with no competition, pluralism or transparent political process, nor a free democratic climate.


"Fourth, there is no real will to hold real democratic elections to give the prime minister more powers than the President of the Republic and make it possible to bring him to trial, for fear of intervention in the armed forces’ budget or decisions.


"The election procedures did not begin until after the amendment of the Constitutional Court Act to ensure parliament can be dissolved at any time it goes beyond the limits set by the coup commanders."


Reviewing the main reasons for the invalidity of the upcoming parliamentary elections, Dr. Heshmat added: "The putschists have agreed on a single candidate list excluding all those who oppose the coup. They even excluded many well-known businessmen, fearing their influence in the Parliament.


"Also, the junta regime has put obstacles to make it difficult for experienced NGOs to monitor the elections, while approving a large number of new pro-coup associations and organizations which do not have any experience in supervising or monitoring elections.


"We remind here of the (pro-coup) journalist Mustafa Bakri’s statement in which he said that ‘the Parliament threatens the President and the State and leads to chaos’!"


Dr. Heshmat further said: "We should beware of the outcome and the results of these elections, and what will become of this parliament, with which the coup seeks to gain imaginary legitimacy. This will not happen, because of the blood spilled and the injustice, the horrid crimes committed, and the boycott by young people of any activity by the traitorous coup commander in Egypt after the coup against democratic legitimacy ".