The National Association for Change (NAC) on Tuesday warned of violence in the upcoming parliamentary election.
At a Ghad Party sponsored conference entitled “Elections in the Darkness,” NAC general coordinator Abdel Geleel Mustafa, said government moves to restrict private satellite channels, talk shows and independent papers were intended to facilitate “election crimes.”
Moves such as channel closures and dismissals of writers and editors constitute a media crackdown, according to Mustafa.
NAC member Ammar Ali Hassan said the association is considering expanding operations as soon as the National Democratic Party (NDP) concludes its nomination process. Hassan also said the NAC will dispatch reporters throughout Egypt to follow-up on the poll and collect evidence of election fraud, should this occur.
Hassan added that this will be a step toward overthrowing the regime. Should evidence implicating the regime in fraud be found, it will be presented to the Egyptian judiciary and then international consul, he said.
Irregularities, like those in the last Shura Council election, are guaranteed, according to Hassan.
Mohamed al-Beltagui, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood’s parliamentary bloc, echoed NAC statements indicating that the recent media crackdown is a harbinger for further muzzling of dissent.
Ghad Party founder Ayman Nour said the above-mentioned developments suggest the regime is not preparing for a transparent election process.
The main goal of parliamentary poll is to help the NDP acquire the upper hand in the 2011 presidential election, he said.
Translated from the Arabic Edition.
