Presidential candidates lose appeals

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TonyC
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Presidential candidates lose appeals

Post by TonyC »

Ten candidates who had applied to run in the Egyptian presidential election have lost their appeals against disqualification, officials say.

A judicial panel found no new evidence was offered by the hopefuls, including ex-spy chief Omar Suleiman and Muslim Brotherhood leader Khairat al-Shater.

The ultraconservative Salafist lawyer, Hazem Abu Ismail, also lost his appeal.

A final list of candidates will be published on 26 April, when the election campaign officially begins.

The first round of voting is scheduled on 23 and 24 May, after which there is expected to be a run-off between the top two candidates in June.

The ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which assumed presidential powers after Hosni Mubarak was forced to step down by an uprising last year, is due to hand over to the new president on 1 July.

On Saturday, the Higher Presidential Election Commission (HPEC) shocked many by announcing that it had disqualified 10 of the 23 candidates, including the top two Islamist contenders and Mr Suleiman.

The former vice-president, who was head of the General Intelligence Department under Mr Mubarak, was struck off the list because he failed to get enough signatures to endorse his candidacy.

Mr Shater, a millionaire businessman and deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, was ruled out because of a disputed past conviction.

Ayman Nour, a former liberal MP who challenged Mr Mubarak for the presidency in 2005, was also banned under the rule.

Mr Abu Ismail was meanwhile disqualified because his late mother held US nationality, something which the Salafist strenuously denied.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17748256


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