Sunday, 27 May 2012

Sabahi demands Egyptian vote suspended over irregularities

A man shouts during a protest against candidate Ahmed Shafik at Tahrir Square in Cairo 25 May 2012. (Photo: Reuters – Suhaib Salem)
Leftist candidate Hamdeen Sabahi will file an appeal for Egypt's presidential election to be suspended because of alleged voting irregularities and a pending case over the right of former Prime Minister Ahmed Shafik to stand, Sabahi's lawyer said on Saturday.

Angry ppl in tahrir, some holding hamdeen posters
"We will present an appeal on behalf of candidate Hamdeen Sabahy...to the presidential electoral committee, citing a series of irregularities...that have affected the outcome of the first round," Essam El-Islamboly told Reuters.

Muslim Brotherhood candidate Mohammed Mursi is due to face-off against Shafik next month, after the two men received the most votes in the first round of voting.

Mursi received a reported 25 percent of the votes, while Shafik got 24 percent, clear of third-placed Sabahi who got 22 percent.

The results came after an unexpectedly low turnout of just 50 percent, well down on the 62 percent in the parliamentary elections.

Earlier thousands of Egyptians reacted angrily to the results with hundreds returning to Tahrir Square, the focus of an uprising that brought down former dictator Hosni Mubarak, to condemn the choice between the candidates.
River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian  
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