- Reports
- November 17, 2005
- 2 minutes read
EOHR observers were deprived from watching out counting votes processes
EOHR observers were deprived from watching out counting votes processes
Heads of some poll stations prevented the observers of the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR) from watching out the counting processes in constituencies (Manial, Al-Sahel, Old Cairo, Abdeen, Boulaq Abul Elaa, Bandar Al-Minia, Al-Haram, Mazghona, Bandar Assuit, Al-Tebeen, and Al-Saf), while others were permitted to watch out in constituencies (Giza police station, Kerdasa, Bany Swief, and Nasr City). This situation is a violation to the Supreme Commission for Parliamentary Elections’ decree which gives human rights associations the license to monitor the parliamentary elections.
Accordingly, Shady Abdel Kareem, an EOHR observer declared the following (I went to the poll station situated in (Manial) constituencies at 8, 15 to watch out counting votes, then I presented my EOHR card to an officer belong to the besieging security forces, but he disapproved and declared ’The head of the poll station gave orders to prevent any observatory’).
Following, EOHR confirms that preventing observers from watching out the counting is a violation to the Administrative Judiciary Court’s decree stated ’Civil Society associations have the right to monitor, follow up and also attend the counting’, the officials also violate international human rights instruments which guarantee human rights associations’ right to watch out, in addition, EOHR calls for adopting facilitating procedures in the upcoming two stages, concerning maintaining the observers to watch out all the electoral process stages (voting, ballots, and counting), in respect to the Administrative Judiciary Court’s decree and the instructions of the Parliamentary Elections Supreme Commission.
EOHR also confirms that the process of preventing the observers from watching out brings up exclamations on the secret procedures happening in the counting committee, and the ambiguity in dealing with the counting process via preventing EOHR observers from finishing their mission.