In Arish, Sinai’s first constituency, foreign media have been forbidden from entering polling stations despite having received an official permit from the Ministry of Communications in Cairo. A spokesperson for the Arish Press Office said they received orders not to allow any journalists inside the polling stations except for those affiliated to the ruling NDP.
Abdelrahim al-Shurbagi, a Muslim Brotherhood (MB) candidate in Arish, said that “officials are intentionally slowing the procedures in the ballots where the Muslim Brotherhood are expected to win. Arish is considered an MB stronghold.”
In Mahalla there have been reports of assaults against Muslim Brotherhood members.
In Hadayek al-Qobba, around 200 people have gathered to vote and are chanting in support of the candidate Amr Zaki. The vote is proceeding smoothly, with officers letting people in gradually.
Polling stations in Shubra haven’t gathered many voters yet, while in Osayareen, Zawya, at the Suzanne Mubarak school for girls and Mohamed Naguib school for boys, there is loud music and a large crowd, although most of the people gathered are not voting.