Polls open across Egypt amid violence

Sun Nov 28, 2010

Egypt has opened polling stations for the country's parliamentary elections following a campaign marred by violence and a widespread crackdown on major opposition groups.

Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) on Sunday under tightened security as nearly 41 million Egyptians are eligible to vote. However, the turnout is expected to be low amid fears of clashes between supporters of rival candidates.

Initial results of the parliamentary elections are expected on Monday.

The polls start as human rights groups say the elections have already been compromised due to many arrests and violent attacks on the opposition activists as well as imposed restrictions on their candidates.

Rights groups called on Egypt to prevent its security forces from intimidating and harassing candidates and voters.

More than 1,000 supporters of the country's main opposition group, the Muslim Brotherhood, and other opposition groups have been arrested while campaigning or in clashes with police in the past weeks.

The Muslim Brotherhood leaders say the government's crackdown on the opposition means there will not be even a semblance of free and fair elections.

Egypt's previous parliamentary elections in 2005 were marred by violence and fraud allegations as well.

Source: PressTV.
Link: http://www.presstv.ir/detail/152932.html.