“Our 150 observers, deployed to 26 governorates, reported that procedures were mostly followed in a peaceful and calm manner. Polling, counting and tabulation of results – as of now – were generally well conducted”, said the Chief Observer during the EU EOM press conference. Adding: ”While the Presidential Election Committee PEC administered the election professionally and overall compliant with the law, the decision to extend voting for a third day caused unnecessary uncertainty in the electoral process.”
The Chief Observer continued: “Although the new Constitution sets out a wide-ranging catalogue of fundamental rights, the respect for these rights falls short of these constitutional principles. Freedoms of association, assembly and expression are areas of concern. The Presidential Election Law does not provide for independent oversight on administrative decisions of the PEC. The drafting of the new law on parliamentary elections could provide an adequate opportunity to address these concerns.”
The Chief Observer further said: “The legal framework offers an adequate basis for the conduct of the presidential election, although it fell short of full compliance with applicable international standards for democratic elections in some respects. Notably, the right to vote and the right to stand for all citizens are not fully protected. The EU EOM noted also a general climate of limited freedom of expression, reportedly resulting in self-censorship of journalists. The imprisonment of Al Jazeera journalists and the detention of others without charge contributed to fear of a perceived declining freedom of the media amongst journalists.
The EU EOM will publish a final report after the conclusion of the electoral process. The final report will include possible recommendations for the improvement of future elections, offered for consideration to the authorities and other stakeholders.
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http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/egypt/press_corner/all_news/news/2014/20140529a_en.pdf
