EGYPT FJP News
June 18, 2012
18 minutes read

Mohamed Morsi Campaign Press Release (1) – Runoff Presidential Elections, Second Day

The legal committee of Dr. Morsi’s campaign filed a formal complaint to Egypt’s attorney general, accusing the government’s printing presses of printing ballots with a candidate’s name already selected without inspecting the material being printed before packaging and delivery to the Supreme Presidential Elections Committee (SPEC).

Late last night, in various polling stations, attempts were made to prevent a number of our candidate’s official delegates from staying overnight to make sure ballot-boxes are not tampered with.

Meanwhile, a number of armed forces retirees, who participated in the first round of the presidential election, were surprised to find that their names had been removed from the voter rolls in flagrant violation of the law.

For example, the name of retired Colonel-of-Staff Alaa Sayed Hassan Al-Sabbagh was excluded, although he did cast his vote in polling station No. 138 in the parliamentary elections, and in polling station No. 6, serial number 1977, at Nasiriyah school in Zagazig, in the first round of presidential elections.

Further, the name of retired Major-General Ahmed Abdel-Hamid Mohamed, was removed from the registry book of voting center No. 9, at Alforer School in Mahalla Al-Kubra, serial number 744. He did cast his vote in the recent parliamentary elections and in the first round of presidential elections.

Here are some reports from our delegates and representatives about the ballot so far (3:00PM local time, 1:00AM GMT), in provinces across Egypt:

Cairo:

• In Mokattam, polling station No. 3, in Shaimaa School, the security force unit in charge arrested a woman, called Marwa Mohamed Ahmed Abdel-Rahman (National ID card No. 27810190104468), after she tried to get out of the station with a clean ballot. However, the commander of the force charged with securing the school noticed, arrested and handed her over to Judge presiding over the station. The latter immediately filed a formal report on the incident and referred the citizen in question to Mokattam police station to take the necessary legal action against her before referring her to the Public Prosecution.

Giza:

• In Atfeih, our observers saw a car roaming the streets while electioneering (illegally) for Dr. Mohamed Morsi. They took the car’s details and reported it to the police department.

• In Ayyat, in Tahma, at polling station No. 37 our observers noted the loss of one whole ballot book. A formal report was filed, signed by candidates’ delegates and sent to SPEC (under No. 4822/135) and to the General Committee (under No. 4828/135) dated 16 June 2012. Two more ballot books were lost in polling station No. 60 at Gawwad Hosni School in Imbaba. Another formal report on the incident was filed.

Qaliubiya:

• In Khossos, Khanka Town, our observers reported that polling stations did open until 10 o’clock in the morning, due to late arrival of the judges. There was a strong turnout of voters, who stood waiting in long lines.

Fayoum governorate:

The lawyer Yasser Heyba, member of the legal committee for our Campaign, filed a formal complaint against an employee in polling center No. 26, based in Abu Kassa Village, Abshway Town. The employee – called Abdel-Salam Abdel-Wahab Abdel-Salam – was in charge of stamping ballots for voters. The lawyer accused the employee of marking ballots in favor of the candidate Mohamed Morsi. Subsequently, the judge presiding over operations in the center cancelled all ballots in the whole box. The judge, then, referred the employee to authorities for investigation as necessary.

Dakahlia governorate:

• In Zafar Village, Tami Amdid Town, voting stations No. 6, 10, 29 and 30, our observers reported that judges delayed opening the polling stations for voters to start casting their ballots.

• In Shams Village, Senbelawin Town, the judges delayed opening polling stations No. 1 and 27 at the Vocational School, and station No. 18 at Algamamlah School.

Gharbiya governorate:

* In Mahalla, at Talaat Harb Secondary School for Girls, in voting center No. 24, a voter called Aziza Ahmed Ibrahim Sayyad asked the judge to tick her ballot for Dr. Morsi, but he ticked the name of the rival candidate. Noting that, Dr. Morsi representative, informed the voter about what happened. She objected to the judge’s action, so he checked also Dr. Morsi’s name, thus invalidating her ballot. The voter filed a formal complaint – No. 4119 – administrative/Mahalla.

Sohag governorate:

• In Tama, Alaghna Village, polling stations No. 11, 32 and 50, at Mustafa Obeid School, our observers reported the presence of names of army recruits, such as Mustafa Mohamed Abdel Fadeel Mohamed (Registration No. 2613) and many others.

• In Almargha, Bassona Village, our observers reported that the mayor of the village carried a gun to intimidate voters, so they would not vote in favor of Dr. Mohamed Morsi. Army personnel, however, confronted him. They said that voting places will not be closed in the face of voters, for any reason whatsoever.

Damietta governorate:

• In Meit Kholi, the rival candidate’s representative attacked Dr. Morsi’s representative inside the polling station.

• Although the second day of the runoff presidential elections began peacefully enough, events began to heat up in voting center No. 31, based at Mitt Kholi Commerce School, where Shawky Salem, the rival candidate general representative assaulted Nadia Naggar (a delegate at the station) and slapped her face, after she asked him not to direct voters to elect the rival candidate. Noting this assault, the judge overseeing the center filed a formal report on the incident and detained the offending representative within the station. Legal action is being taken as necessary with regard to this incident.

Sharqiya governorate:

• In polling station No. 12, at Houdh Nageih Village Primary School, in Hehia Town, Dr. Mohamed Morsi’s delegate was surprised, during the opening of the station doors by the judge, Osama Ghandour, to find that eight ballot books out of nineteen had half a-centimeter-wide marks printed on the symbol of the ‘Scales’. Some 38 ballots from a ninth book were also marked, although ten other ballot books were clean. Immediately, Mohamed Ali Abdeen, Dr. Morsi’s delegate, made a formal request to report and exclude these books. The General Committee was informed. Subsequently, judge Ihab Sarhan arrived at the polling station and filed a formal report in the presence of Sayed Khalaf, Dr. Mohamed Morsi’s lawyer.

• When he tried to cast his ballot this morning, Sunday June 17, a citizen called Mohamed Sayed Mohamed was surprised – at voting station No. 95, based at Shaheed Safwat Shokr School – to find that someone had already signed his name in the electoral rolls (Registration No. 3209). This citizen then filed a report regarding the incident with the station’s judge, and said that he would head to SPEC to take more appropriate legal action.

• Members of the dissolved National Party and supporters of the rival candidate continued their violations, making threats to voters, trying to derail the electoral process. Moreover, there was clear evidence of collusion by some judges acting in favor of the rival candidate.

– In Alnikaria Village, near Zagazig, a citizen called Mohamed Sayed Mohamed filed a complaint after he found that someone else had already signed his name in the electoral rolls (Registration No. 3209) in polling station No. 95, based at Shaheed Safwat Shokr School, in Zagazig Town.

• In polling station No. 57 in Kafr El-Shobaki, in Abu Kabir, observers noted a violation of election regulations, where voters did not dip their fingers in phosphoric ink, while the judge in charge failed to take any action.

• In Qintir Village, in Fakous, voting centers No. 51 and 52, a known thug, called Ahmed Mohamed Sayed, attacked and assaulted a supporter of Dr. Morsi – named Sabri Abdel-Hafeez. Moreover, a number of supporters of the rival candidate attacked and poured insults and abuse on Dr. Morsi’s supporters.

• In polling stations No. 70, 71 and 72 at Nasr Primary School in Salehiya Alqadima, a low-ranking police officer was involved in illegal electioneering activities for the rival candidate. When citizens objected to his action, he brandished his gun in their faces and tried to fire, but police and army personnel interfered to resolve the dispute.

• In polling station No. 6, in Qassaseen Azhar Village, in Awlad Saqr, the judge refused to help the elderly, something which resulted in them turning away without casting their votes.

• Meanwhile, the judge on voting site No. 30 at Almaahad Aldini, in Amreet, prevented general representatives and civil society organizations from monitoring the voting process, while the mayor of the village entered and remained inside the site directing people to vote for the rival candidate.

• In Mansheya Gadida Village, Kafr Saqr, a supporter of the rival candidate, named Mohamed Mansour, was involved in illegal electioneering through loudspeakers from a mosque next to polling site No. 41, where he called on people to vote for the rival candidate, saying: "O people of this country, choose Shafiq … The Brotherhood will burn the whole country". The residents of the neighborhood were angered by his actions.

• In Shembarat Almaymona Village, the judge found a whole ballot book (one hundred ballots) with check marks made in favor of the rival candidate, although the pack was opened in front of both candidates’ delegates.

• Justice Adel Ali Mohamed Abdel-Salam, presiding over voting site No. 58, based in the agriculture secondary school of Minya Alqameh, found an armed forces officer – named Saeed Abdul-Aziz Mohamed Ibrahim – illegally trying to cast a vote, with his name listed in the electoral registry (Registration No. 2079). The judge detained and referred the officer to the Attorney General to take all necessary legal action. A formal report was filed on this matter under number 3521 of 2012, administrative – Minya Alqameh.

Qena and Luxor:

• Names of many dead citizens and many army recruits (not allowed to vote) have been found in the electoral rolls of Qena and Luxor polling stations.

• In voting center No. 101, at Al-Sudais Preparatory Institute, the name (Aisha Ahmed Essa Obaid Salama) was found in the rolls (Registration No. 656), although this citizen had been dead for two years.

• At polling site No. 37, in Cayman School, in Esna City, Luxor, the name (Khalid Zaki Mohamed Haddad) was found under registration no. 945; and the name (Abdul-Hadi Osman Mohamed Ahmed) was found under registration no. 1673 – both are army recruits, not allowed to vote, by law.

• At the same polling site No. 37, also, the name (Farouk Al-Sadiq Al-Bakri Ibrahim) was found under registration no. 2233 – although he is dead.

• During a press conference, and in response to a question from the Al-Nahar satellite TV channel correspondent, Dr. Ahmed Abdel-Aati, general coordinator of Dr. Morsi’s campaign, rejected rumors circulating about weapons entering Egypt, belonging to some Palestinian resistance factions, saying: "This is the responsibility of the security authorities. We reject any attempt to undermine the security of Egypt. We call upon the media to act professionally, responsibly and refrain from circulating mere rumors that may cause unnecessary concern to citizens". This was confirmed by Egyptian Minister of Interior, Major General Mohamed Ibrahim in a statement he made outside the Orman Preparatory School in Giza, on Sunday afternoon, a video of which was posted on the Internet.