A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Monday, November 29, 2010

Election Complaints Growing

Complaints about irregularities in Egyptian elections are routine, but yesterday's vote has produced unusually extensive claims of irregularities. As was already clear in the 2005 vote,the ubiquity of cell phone cameras and the rise of YouTube has made quick documentation easier, and now Twitter makes it instantaneous.

There will doubtless be more detail forthcoming. The government is admitting there were some irregularities bu claims the overall process was good, and is even quoting praise by foreign commentators (link is in Arabic). Opposition forces and human rights groups are telling a differen story.

The Egyptian Organization of Human Rights
(EOHR) has been very active in trying to monitor the elections: here is their Report #1 and Report #2. More may appear.

Human Rights Watch has a report here. Their Deputy Director, Joe Stork, was briefly detained by police in the Delta.

Independent press accounts can be found here and here. A Muslim Brotherhood version here.

More as it emerges.

No comments: