Egyptian Legislative Elections, 2011
FJP Press Release No. (13)
Cairo: 05/Dec/2011   -   10 AM (08:00 GMT)

Today, Monday 5/Dec/2011, runoff voting for the first phase of the People’s Assembly elections 2011 started. Engaged in this round are 47 candidates from the Freedom and Justice party (FJP).
The following is a report on the latest developments on the first day of the runoff:

First, The Electoral Process:

On this first day of the runoff, and up to this moment, the electoral process has not seen the same levels of record turnout witnessed in the first round, which is understandable; but we trust that the Egyptian street will positively participate in the run-off to confirm the people’s ability to shape their own future through the first step to towards democracy, the election.

Second, Polling Stations:
Opening of 25 Red Sea Governorate polling stations was postponed to nine o’clock for the absence of representatives of those competing with FJP candidates.

Third, The Security Situation:
Our representatives have reported a large number of thugs loitering in front of the Coptic School and the Hurreyah Experimental School in Azbakeya, in Qasr Al-Neil constituency.

Fourth, Media Performance:
Certain media miscreants owned by a number of businessmen are still playing a treacherous role to thwart the electoral process and mislead voters and public opinion through the dissemination of false information about stopping elections in the Coast constituency in Shubra (Cairo) and Muharram Beck constituency in (Alexandria), although the High Judicial Elections Commission (HJEC) confirmed that the news were false and that the election continues on schedule in all constituencies where runoff voting is required. The HJEC noted that the Administrative Court decisions are not binding on them, after the results, and that the Court of Cassation is the authority entrusted with reviewing HJEC after the announcement of the results. The HJEC also confirmed that, in any case, it never received any decisions from the Administrative Court to stop any elections.
We urge the media to exercise their important role with transparency and objectivity, and not to circulate hoaxes to cheat the Egyptian people for the petty personal interests and goals of a few businessmen or so-called politicians with views and ideologies different from those of the FJP.

Fifth, Representatives:
· An armed forces officer refused all representatives entry to polling stations at the headquarters of the Directorate of Health Affairs in Ataba Square, in the sixth constituency (Qasr Al-Neil), claiming that the armed forces have not approved the authorisations, which is contrary to the decisions of the HJEC and a breach of the Political Rights Law.