Elections committee: campaign materials removed after Friday prayers

Wednesday 13-06-2012 02:24 PM
Elections committee: campaign materials removed after Friday prayers

Secretary General of the Supreme Presidential Elections Commission Hatem Bagato - Aswat Masriya

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All campaign materials will be removed after Friday prayers, said Secretary General of the Presidential Elections Committee Judge Hatem Bagato, in a press conference on Wednesday.

While Egypt is scheduled to vote in the run-off of its historic presidential election on June 16 - 17, a propaganda ban is scheduled to begin on Friday at 12 p.m., said Bagato.

The Judge added that traffic campaigns will roam the streets to collect all visible campaign materials, including posters on vehicles, after Friday prayers.

Bagato added that, in agreement with the law, guiding of voters by campaigners (a phenomena widely noted during the first round), will not be tolerated within half a kilometer of polling stations. He warned that individuals who breach this law will be referred to the General Prosecution.

In the first round of the election, 25 breaches that were noted, were referred to the prosecution while 10 others were referred to investigations.

Bagato called on candidates to assist the committee in ensuring that the electoral process is free from violations. Competing in the run-off are the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi and Hosni Mubarak's former premier Ahmed Shafiq.

Head supervisors of polling stations have agreed to let one of each candidate's representatives remain overnight by polls, as long as they were granted permission by the committee, Bagato indicated, adding that only these representatives are allowed to receive copies of voting records.

He added that judges and civil society representatives will be present during the sorting process, as well as press personnel - in accordance with the law.

Bagato expressed his dissatisfaction with the criticism and attacks that the committee has received, adding that the committee is very keen to apply the law more strictly in the run-off round.

“Some thought that they could pressure the committee and forcibly achieve what they wish for, what they do not deserve, or what they could not achieve through legal means. They thought that by gathering by the committee, offending and terrorizing it, they would achieve what they wish for and force it to violate the law - the committee will not violate the law and we are not scared of anyone”, Bagato insisted.

Bagato called on voters to participate in the process, expressing desire for participation to exceed 70 percent. He warned that embezzlement of official documents is a crime that will be punished by law.

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