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| PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights PRESS RELEASE |
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Ref: 63/2005
Date: 19 May 2005
PCHR Honors Observers of the Second Phase of Local Elections
On 5 May 2005, PCHR monitored the second stage of local elections which included 8 local councils in the Gaza Strip. 110 observers, including 41 women, observed the elections on behalf of PCHR. PCHR had extensively trained the observers on monitoring all stages of the electoral process including election campaigning, polling and counting of votes.
During the past two days, PCHR has honoured the critical contribution of the election observers who guarded Palestinian democracy during the local election process. The local elections were hotly contested in the Gaza Strip and the role of PCHR as an independent observer was crucial to ensure that the elections were carried out in a free and fair manner. PCHR had monitors at the individual polling centres throughout the day who monitored the voting and later the counting of the votes.
Hamdi Shaqqura, Head of PCHR Democratic Development Unit, opened the two meetings by thanking the observers for their hardwork in the run up to the elections and on election day. He emphasized the importance of monitoring local elections not to not only ensure the fairness of the electoral process but also to reinforce trust of electors and candidates in the electoral process.
In his speech before the observers, Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, congratulated the observers for their efforts in carrying out their duties and emphasized the importance of the strategic relations between PCHR and observers, believing that the establishment of an observation body serves and promote the democratic process. Mr. Sourani also addressed the role played by PCHR in monitoring election based on its experience in monitoring the Palestinian presidential election on 9 January 2005 and the first phase of elections of local councils on 27 January 2005.
Public Document
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For more information please call PCHR office in Gaza, Gaza Strip, on +972 8 2824776 – 2825893
PCHR, 29 Omer El Mukhtar St., El Remal, PO Box 1328 Gaza, Gaza Strip. E-mail: pchr@pchrgaza.org, Webpage http://www.pchrgaza.org
