Election Update No. 1

Date: 18 January 2006

Violations of Electoral Campaign Regulations

The Ministry of Interior and National Security compromise the PNA's Neutrality

According to articles 95-3 of Elections Law No. 9 of 2005, "the Executive Authority and all the bodies affiliated thereto shall maintain an impartial position during all of the phases of the election process and shall not perform any electoral or campaign activity that might be construed as favoring one candidate or electoral list over another.”  The same article prohibits the involvement of the official media in the electoral process in favor of one candidate over another; paragraph 2 prescribes that "official media shall maintain an impartial position during all the phases of the elections process.  Official media, or any of the bodies affiliated thereto, shall not perform any electoral or campaigning activity that might be construed as favoring one candidate over another."  Article 64-1 prescribes that any electoral campaign must take into consideration the "non-defamation or humiliation of any of the other candidates."

In the context of its monitoring over the electoral campaigns, PCHR has noticed violations of the electoral campaign regulations on the official website of the Palestinian Ministry of Interior and National Security (www.moi.gov.ps).  The website published news on the electoral campaigns of Fatah candidates over the past few days, including the defamation and humiliation of other electoral lists.  News items in this regard included the following:

1)      On 14 January 2006, the website published news about a speech delivered by Mohammed Dahlan, a Fatah candidate in the Khan Yunis constituency, during a meeting in Khan Yunis in preparation for the upcoming legislative elections. 

2)      On 14 January 2006, the website published news about a meeting organized by the committee in charge of the electoral campaign of Fatah candidates in the Gaza constituency to discuss means to ensure a successful campaign. 

3)      On 15 January 2006, the website reported that the Fatah movement made guidelines for its electoral campaign in Rafah. 

4)      On 15 January 2006, the website published a statement by Mohammed Dahlan, a Fatah candidate in the Khan Yunis constituency, made during an electoral meeting in Khan Yunis, that the participation of opposition parties in the upcoming elections proves Fatah's credibility. 

5)      On 17 January 2006, the website published news about speeches by Hisham 'Abdul Raziq, a Fatah candidate in the northern Gaza Strip, in 3 public meetings organized by the committee in charge of Fatah's electoral campaign. 

PCHR calls upon the Ministry of Interior and National Security to immediately stop these violations, to commit itself to neutrality and not to intervene in favor of any party participating in the elections.  PCHR calls also upon the Central Election Commission to immediately intervene to stop such violations.  

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Palestinian Centre for Human Rights

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