Int’l observers follow up public referendum’s 1st day

CAIRO – 21 April 2019: A number of international observers followed up the first day of the public constitutional referendum which kicked off locally early Saturday.

About 59 observers from Greece, Uganda, and Lebanon followed up the referendum in 14 different governorates; in addition to other observers affiliated to Egypt’s Maat for Peace, Development and Human Rights.

The observers wrote down some of their notes on Maat official Facebook page, affirming that they didn’t detect any breaches during the first day. Most of the comments were regular observations that took place during the voting process.

“Dozens of imams in Kafr El-Sheikh dressed in their uniform (the aunt and kaftan) led a march to participate in the referendum on the constitutional amendments. This march was launched by the Ministry of Awqaf and led by Sheikh Saad al-Faki,deputy minister of the province. Imams also met the international delegation observing the referendum.

The imams said: the Constitution is neither a Quranic text nor a prophetic talk and was formulated in exceptional circumstances; therefore, making amendments is an ordinary step,”Maat wrote on its official Facebook page Saturday.

A total of 61 million eligible voters were called for casting their ballots in the public referendum on the constitutional amendments.

Egyptian expatriates started, Friday a three-day voting on the new constitutional amendments in 140 embassies and consulates of 125 countries worldwide. Locally, Egyptians started on Saturday, April 20.