Egypt: Civil Society Organizations Warn of Potential Rigging of Constitutional Referendum, Demand That NCHR Be Excluded From Referendum Monitoring and Oversight of Civil Society

press release

The undersigned organizations are deeply concerned about the potential for rigging during or after the referendum on the proposed draft constitution, especially after the press conference convened today by the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), at which it was announced that organizations seeking to monitor the vote must obtain authorization from the Council. The undersigned groups further reject the NCHR as a custodian over civil society organizations.

The undersigned organizations warn that the climate in which the referendum is being conducted does not bode well for a fair voting process. First, the formation of the constituent assembly was dominated by particular political groups and failed to represent all segments and political forces of Egyptian society. Second, the final version of the draft constitution was rushed through a hasty vote which did not allow adequate time for an appropriate nation-wide discussion to take place.

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