EASD: 903 Observers Arrested and 348 Expelled from Polling Stations

The Egyptian Association for Supporting Democratic Development (EASD) has released reports evaluating the vote counting procedures following Egypt’s parliamentary elections.   

The EASD has voiced its protest to the HEC regarding the detention, denial of access to, and expulsion from polling places that many EASD observers faced on Election Day. Also, some EASD observers had their identification papers and cell phones seized and were threatened with arrest. A total of 903 observers were denied access and 348 observers were expelled from polling stations.  

The EASD asserts that what happened to observers is a "flagrant violation of the law and international conventions. Also, the fact that HEC decisions were not implemented or respected by election officials undermines the value of the HEC, and affects the performance of EASD observers and the organization’s credibility."  

In the same statement, the EASD praised the Administrative Court ruling on accrediting civil society observers to observe the voting and counting processes, and compelling the HEC to grant observer permits to observe the voting and counting processes in stations, noting that it is an important addition to provisions of the State Council that were issued in 2005 as NGOs have the right to monitor the electoral process during all stages.