Egypt’s Presidential Candidate Calls for International Monitors for elections

CHICAGO, Illinois, USA (7/28/05) Author turned politician, Aladdin Elaasar who announced his candidacy for president of Egypt recently called on the international community today to send international monitors for the upcoming presidential elections in September in Egypt. ”In spite of the several attempts of presidential candidates for Egypt to get their names on the ballot, the Egyptian government still refuses to acknowledge any of them. If Mr. Mubarak is really serious about change in Egypt and giving democracy a chance, why does not he allow other candidates to run’, Elaasar said.

The Egyptian government runs most of the media outlets, which gives Mr. Mubarak an edge over any other candidate. Mr. Mubarak uses public funds and resources for his campaign. He passed a law recently through the People’s Assembly, which the overwhelming majority of its members belong to the NDP- Mr. Mubarak’s party. This law prohibits any candidate from running without getting the endorsement of 250 members of MR. Mubarak’s party! Mr. Mubarak holds all the power in his hands. His government will be running the elections and counting the votes through his Minster of the interior! Which is unlawful”, Elaasar said.

‘What Mr. Mubarak is afraid of? Why does he feel threatened by other candidates and myself? If he is so sure of his popularity, why does not he open the door for democracy for real, instead of lip service? It seems that Mr. Mubarak’s government is afraid of change and competition and they’re finding every excuse not to include any other candidate on the ballot. The Egyptian constitution gives the right to every Egyptian, man or woman, to run for the office of president of Egypt. The attempts to bar Egyptian expatriates and those with dual citizenship from running and voting is unconstitutional. I call on Mr. Mubarak to include all candidates on the ballot. I also call on him to release MR. Ayman Nour and all other political prisoners in Egypt immediately and end the state of the Emergency Laws’, Elaasar, the author of a book titled “Silent Victims”, demanded today.

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For more info, please contact:
Aladdin Elaasar,
President and Founder of
Committee for Freedom and Democracy in Egypt
1015 Higgins Quarters, Suite 115
Hoffman Estates, IL 60194
Tel 847 310-0342, 847 668-4206
Email: omaraladin-AT-aol.com
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