This morning, Saturday, June 16, 2012, the run-off in the presidential elections began between the candidates, Dr. Mohamed Morsi, the candidate of the Freedom and Justice Party, and Lieutenant General Ahmed Shafiq, the independent candidate.

Maat Foundation for Peace, Development and Human Rights is following up this tour in six governorates, namely (Luxor - Sharkia - Menoufia - Cairo - Giza - Qalyubia), after adding Qalyubia Governorate to the areas covered by the Foundation's activities in the return round.

At the beginning of its first statement on the events of the first day of scheduling the run-off, the Foundation notes that it has monitored the growth of hostile rhetoric between both candidates over the past days, which took an escalatory approach, especially after the ruling of the Supreme Constitutional Court invalidating the law on the basis of which Parliament was elected, as well as the invalidity of the amendments made to The Law on the Exercise of Political Rights (what is known in the media as the Law of Isolation).

The Foundation also believes that it is important to refer to what was monitored yesterday (Friday) of the intensity of employment of religious discourse in the electoral process, as we received a large number of testimonies from the governorates of Giza, Cairo and Qalyubia that the imams of mosques (affiliated to the Ansar al-Sunna Muhammadiyah group and the Sharia Association) propagandized for the candidate, Mohamed Morsi .

On the other hand, we received testimonies that some Christian clergymen instructed them to vote for the candidate Ahmed Shafiq, and the matter reached the distribution of statements and leaflets on behalf of the youth of the Orthodox Church in some areas urging the election of Ahmed Shafiq.

In the context of its field follow-up of the progress of affairs in the polling stage in the aforementioned areas, observers among the members of the popular committees monitored some incidents, the most prominent of which were the following:

First: General features

1- The turnout is average in general in most committees, and is relatively limited in some areas such as Heliopolis and Nasr City

2- The absence of electoral campaigning in front of most polling stations, but many cases were observed of candidates' representatives directing voters outside the polling stations.

3 - The phenomenon of spreading laptops in front of the polling stations to guide voters about their polling stations is still the same as it was in the parliamentary elections and in the first round.

4- The delay in opening some committees, but on a very limited scale

Second: Monitoring some areas

Nasr City area (the eighth district)

1) The turnout is very low

2) There is no electoral propaganda

3) There are no local followers within the committees

Cynthia Abiola School, Nasr City        

1) The presence of 6 microbuses with Brotherhood supporters from the popular category inside, and it is clear that they are organized

2) The presence of women who influence the voters in favor of Marsa

3) The presence of a minibus with Ahmed Shafiq's supporters inside

4) There is electoral propaganda for the candidates

Agouza, Dokki and Imbaba

1) The turnout is low

2) A large presence of the elderly

3) Some committees were late in opening due to the voter attendance lists not being stamped

4) Lack of guidance within the committees

5) Preventing an international observer from being inside the committees

Shubra Al-Khaima District (Shubra Secondary School for Girls (Women's Committee)

1) There is a collective vote within the committees

2) Lack of organization in line

3) One of the selected women speaks to the voters and says to them (why did you come, you are tired, go)

Shubra Al-Balad Experimental School (Men's Committee No. 28-29)

1. Overcrowding committees

Obour Elementary School (Women Committee 24-25-26)

1- The existence of an electoral campaign for the candidate, Mohamed Morsi

Bahtim Secondary School (men), Aisha Mother of the Faithful School (women), Dar Al Muallemeen Primary School, Bahtim Experimental Languages School

1) Too much traffic

2) Disorganization in line

An-Najah Primary School (Women)

1) There is a sign on which it is written that it is forbidden to vote with the image of the card, passport or passport voucher

Dr. Yahya Al-Mashta Experimental Integrated Language School (Women's Committee)

The observers were prevented from entering the committees by the security forces present at the gate. When permission was requested from the head of the committee, it was agreed that one delegate from the elections network in the Arab world would enter. After entering, we noticed that there were some delegates influencing the voters in favor of his candidate.

International Technical School for Dual Education and Training Mubarak Kul Committee (1)

1- The judge is a woman and is unable to control the electoral process

2- There is a collective vote

Teachers Attaché School (Committee 2) Subcommittee 1

1) Entry was not allowed until after 10 minutes

2) A very big mess

3) There were pictures of the candidate, Mohamed Morsi, on the school pictures, and when the military police noticed, they removed the pictures and the advertisement