Elections: turnout put at 52% to 55%, no major incidents
Morocco, Politics, 9/28/2002

Some 52 to 55 percent of the 14,023,604 Moroccan voters turned out Friday to polling stations across the country to elect their delegates to the future 325-seat House of Representatives, minister of the interior, Driss Jettou, told reporters.

Meantime, several persons have been arrested on Friday for infringement to the electoral law, announced the ministry of the interior, saying that out of Keenness to guarantee a sound unfolding in transparency and honesty of the legislative elections, administrative authorities showed enhanced vigilance to struggle against any irregularity likely to mar the poll.

According to the Interior department, a man, named Hassan Belkaich, has been arrested at Sale-Medina, Rabat's twin city, by police services after he was found in flagrante delicto inciting voters to vote for a candidate on polling day, while the electoral campaign closed Thursday at midnight.

In Jerada, eastern Morocco, local authorities ordered the closure of candidate Bachir Amnoun's shop, after Amnoun was denunciated as donating foodstuffs to buy votes.

The director of another candidate's campaign in Mohammedia and two other persons were arrested aboard a car in possession of documents evidencing they were distributing money to citizens voting for this candidate.

The three persons will be sent to court in accordance with the laws in force.

At Benguerir, near Marrakesh, candidate Jaafar Chaibi and eleven of his supporters were arrested after they assaulted the supporters of another party and especially Mohamed Farik who is suffering from injuries and a jaw fracture. The assailants also damaged a car. The case was referred to the public prosecutor of the first instance court of Benguerir.

In the same city, two brothers, Mohssine Jnane and Mourad Jnane, were arrested for having stabbed to death Mohamed Lafrid Thursday night at 9.40. The victim was found dead near a public water fountain.

According to information available, Mohssine, the author of the crime, and the victim were both hired by a candidate and have reportedly had a row over sharing the money they were paid.

In Casablanca-Anfa, a complaint was lodged by three sisters, Saadia, Touria and Khadija Mekouassi, against candidate Mohamed Mostapha El Ibrahimi for having orchestrated an assault against their brother, Mostapha Mekouassi, on Thursday. Mostapha had been attacked by a group of young people armed with clubs and admitted to hospital. According to the plaintiffs, the group of young people was working for the candidate and perpetrated several aggressions against the inhabitants of Kotae Ouled Aicha district Thursday evening after the said candidate was expelled from the district.

Early investigation showed that there was a quarrel between the supporters of two candidates with stone throwing. During the incident, Mostapah Mekouassi has been injured and five vehicles parked in the nearby were damaged.

At Kalaat Sraghna, near Marrakesh, the 781 voters of Oulad Si Omar village, dependent on the rural community of Oulad Arad, refused to withdraw their voters' cards to protest the electoral warding. These voters who wanted to vote at the level of the El Attaouia rural community had boycotted the communal and legislative elections of 1997 for the same reasons.

Meantime, the legislative poll witnessed no major incidents throughout the country except for some minor incidents reported by the interior department.

In the Anfa district of Casablanca, a Moroccan newspaper photographer, who came to cast his vote, was prevented from taking photos by the head of the polling station.

In Zenata, another Casablanca district, a complaint was filed against the Justice and Development Party (PJD) for using mosques for electoral purposes. An investigation is under way.

In Safi (350 km south of Rabat), the headmaster of a private literacy school, selected as a polling station, closed the school. A tent was pitched as a substitute polling station to remedy the situation.

In Rabat, the representative of a political party prevented a bus from entering the city on the grounds that it was carrying a candidate' s supporters. In the Takadoum district of Rabat, the local authority intervened to disperse a crowd of youngsters who were inviting voters to vote for a candidate.

In Sala al-Jadida, near Rabat, a candidate was expelled by the polling station's head for using his mobile phone inside the station. The interior department had banned the use of cell phones inside the stations.

In the same district, seven persons were arrested for illegal campaigning on poll day.

In Leksiba, central Morocco, the royal gendarmerie interrogated a person for campaigning on poll day.

In Sale, Rabat twin city, the representative of a candidate was expelled from the polling station for using a portable computer. The concerned person handed the computer to the authorities and resumed his seat at the station.

In the same city, eight supporters of a political party were arrested for illegal campaigning on poll day. A truck with banderoles of a political party on its panels was intercepted. The driver took to his heels.

In Taza, northeastern Morocco, a group of people chased the president and members of a polling station. In the neighboring Guercif locality, a polling station did not open on time (8:00 am/GMT), as citizens organized a rally to voice claims and grievances (access to water, electricityÉ)

In Taounat, northern Morocco, a jobless graduate snatched a ballot box and fled. As local authorities were on his heels, he abandoned the box and vanished in the wild.

In Laayoune, southern Morocco, an accident occurred between two cars belonging to the supporters of a candidate. The passengers abandoned the cars and fled at the sight of the police.

In Assa Zag, southern Morocco, a female voter was arrested for holding three faked ID cards. She admitted that she was working for a candidate to the House of Representatives.

The Justice and Development party and the National Ittihadi Congress sent press releases on violations of the electoral laws in force in different parts of Morocco.

The correspondent of Al-Alam daily in Tan Tan, southern Morocco, was attacked by some individuals for trying to take photos of a quarrel between the militants of two political parties.

Previous Stories:
  Arab parliamentarians back Morocco's kingty over Sebta, Melillia, Tourah Islet   (9/27/2002)
  Electoral campaign downs curtain   (9/27/2002)
  Morocco: on the threshold of decisive vote   (9/27/2002)

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