Opposition Supporters Blocked from Polls in Egyptian Elections
By Daniel Hollingsworth
June 12, 2007 | Printer Friendly

The Washington Post reports that Egyptian security forces prevented voters from entering polling stations in areas where the opposition Muslim Brotherhood party is strong, provoking clashes that have resulted in one death.  Meanwhile, in areas of strength for President Hosni Mubarak’s National Democratic Party, there are reports of underage children being permitted to vote in the June 11 parliamentary elections.  The BBC also reported on June 6 that 75 members of the Muslim Brotherhood were arrested prior to the election for doing promotional work for the candidates, while around 700 supporters were arrested, according to the Financial Times. 

Although the Muslim Brotherhood has been banned as a formal political party since 1954, members of the Islamist group running as independents formed the largest voting bloc in the opposition following parliamentary elections in 2005.  The June 11 vote for the upper parliament, known as the Shura Council, was the first election since constitutional changes were enacted to limit the power of the Muslim Brotherhood.  A March 2007 referendum was passed to make it more difficult for religiously-affiliated parties to get onto ballots, along with provisions to weaken judicial oversight of elections and give the president enhanced powers to dissolve parliament.

Anecdotal accounts in the Washington Post report tell of security guards turning voters away, telling them that the election had been rescheduled, that electricity was out, or simply that the polling station had been closed.  In the past, judicial oversight helped to reduce this type of interference.  The New York Times reports that violent clashes resulted in the shooting death of one man while four others were wounded. 

References:

Washington Post: Egyptian Voters Impeded In Opposition Strongholds

BBC News: Mass arrests of Egyptian Brothers

Financial Times: Egypt’s Islamists allege poll irregularities

New York Times: Clashes as Egyptians Vote