AhlulBayt News Agency

source : PressTV
Tuesday

30 November 2010

8:30:00 PM
215174

Egypt polls give no seats to Brotherhood

Egypt's largest opposition group that has one fifth of the parliament seats has failed to win any seats in the country's controversial general elections.

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - "The illegal group failed to win a seat in parliament," said the country's state television in a reference to the opposition Muslim Brotherhood, reporting on Sunday's elections, AFP reported.

Partial results gave President Hosni Mubarak's ruling National Democratic Party at least a 100 seats so far, the official news agency, MENA, said, adding that the Wafd opposition party had also secured a handful.

Cairo banned the Brotherhood in 1954 -- 26 years after its foundation -- forcing it to field its candidates as independents. The group, however, continued to play a key role in the political arena namely by securing 88 seats in the previous round of the parliamentary polls in 2005.

134 candidates had contested the event on behalf of the group.

It, however, reportedly had its representatives expelled from the polling stations, while many of its supporters were not allowed to cast their ballots.

Earlier in the day, the London-based rights body, the Amnesty International (AI), called on Cairo to investigate alleged intimidation during the elections.

The elections day was also marred by eight deaths and violence involving either the security forces or the rival camps.

AI's Middle East director, Malcolm Smart, said, "The Egyptian authorities must now open independent investigations into the deaths and allegations of violence that have, once again, cast a bloody shadow over election day," AFP reported.

"Egyptian voters should have been able to rely on the security forces to ensure their safety, not pose a threat to it," he noted.

"The Egyptian authorities must not ignore the damning footage of violence and intimidation that is emerging," Smart stated.

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