Report: Complaints Reported as Lebanese Expats Cast Ballots
In spite of the announcements made by the “state authority” that the expat vote in Arab countries “passed smoothly” on Friday, but some “complaints” have been reported by Lebanese expats registered to take part in these elections, al-Joumhouria daily reported on Saturday.
Political sources following up closely on the elections, listed some of the complaints saying names of some Lebanese who have registered to take part in the electoral process “were not included on the voters lists, and some were written by hand contrary to the law.”
The sources also alleged that some voters “of specific political orientation” were “intimidated.”
“More than 30 Lebanese nationals descending from an unspecified area in South Lebanon were prevented from casting their votes. They were told their names are blacklisted,” the sources told the daily.
These reports have raised “condemnation” of some circles, who said “it would put the elections results in a circle of suspicion.”
“We were first anxious about how the ballot boxes are going to be flown to Lebanon from various Arab capitals. We have warned it would not be safe because it can not be protected on the plane. Adding to that concern, we are now afraid of pressure on voters,” said the sources.
Expatriates kicked off Lebanon's parliamentary polls by voting abroad on Friday, a first for the small country's huge diaspora.
The 12,611 Lebanese voters registered in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt will be the first to cast ballots for the 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament.
The overall voter turnout was at 48.11% at 5:25 pm Beirut time according to the National News Agency.
Several electoral violations were reported.
A monitor from the Lebanese Association for Democratic Elections (LADE) said that in the Saudi city of Jeddah, officials thwarted attempts by some voters to use cellphones behind voting booths to take footage of their ballots during the voting process.
In Oman's Muscat, “a security camera was present behind the voting booth,” the LADE monitor said.
LBCI television meanwhile reported that in Dubai, some voters objected after their ballot envelopes were not sealed.
Source: Naharnet, Agence France Presse
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