Transparency and the Egyptian elections

The Egyptian human rights organization stressed that the absence of transparency guarantees in the first multilateral Presidential elections taking place in Egypt on September 7th.

The organization's secretary general Hafez Abu Saada said in a press conference that continued conditions according to the emergency law restricts the political work in general, and especially election campaigns.

Saada added that the fears of the power given to the government according to the emergency law resulted in that owners of companies refuse to rent equipment needed for the campaigning of candidates who are a rival to the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the elections.

The Egyptian organization increased its criticism of what it described as the bias of the government ministries and certain government commissions in favor of the candidate of the ruling national party ( Mubarak). The report also criticized certain papers because they are not neutral; in covering the elections campaigns of the candidates.

Nevertheless, the organization indicated a relative improvement in covering the news by the Egyptian TV to include tours by other parties candidates.