Cairo - Egyptian polling committees began ballot-counting
Monday after voting ended in a referendum on constitutional reforms,
with at least one 'violation' and a number of cases of threats to
public workers reported.
The Egyptian Organization for Human Rights said that in the
southern Asyut governorate it had monitored local municipality cars
broadcasting loudhailer warnings that those not voting would be fined
100 Egyptian pounds (about 17,5 US dollars).
Observers also said public buses were being used across Cairo to
take civil servants and workers to vote in the referendum, which has
been met by indifference among large sections of the population.
Voter turnout was reported low, although the ruling National
Democratic (NDP) party had stated it expected voting to pick up as
the day progressed.
Some 35 million Egyptians were called upon to vote at some 30,000
polling stations in the referendum on a package of constitutional
reforms put forward by President Hosny Mubarak and his NDP.
Traffic congestion in Cairo was greater than usual amid the
security measures put into effect.
At one polling station in a Giza school, several dozen teachers
and civil servants reported difficulties with voting procedures.
'My name and the names of my colleagues were enlisted against our
will,' said one public school teacher. Another civil servant said she
was told her salary would be halved for a month if she did not vote
for the amendments.
Voters were allowed to vote only Yes or No for the whole reform
package.
Despite statements by the Egyptian government warning critics of
the referendum not to stage protests, hundred of activists called for
a boycott.
Several hundred lawyers protested in the afternoon in downtown
Cairo in front of the law syndicate, denouncing the proposed reform
and the referendum.
At least 21 activists and members of opposition parties were
detained around Egypt as they attempted to protest against the
referendum. Sixteen of those arrested were in Cairo.
Critics of the reforms say that citizens would no longer be
protected from encroachments by the state, and opportunities for
political participation would be limited further. Some critics said
the changes were an attempt to turn Egypt into a police state.
Mubarak and the NDP say the reforms are meant to prevent Islam
from being misused for political purposes.
By expanding the police powers regarding arrests and house
searches, the reforms would help in the fight against terrorism, the
government argues.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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