Cheating at polling stations

The Change List observers report foul play in several polling stations in Zakho. Our observer in Delal school in Room 2 observed the room supervisor accompany voters behind the curtains to "help" them to vote. One woman objected, but he said "but you cannot read and write so I will help you" and followed her behind the curtains despite her objections. We told this official that this is illegal and he said he is just helping the illiterate people. The observer were not allowed to go in and observe in room 1 at all. When we went to talk to the IHEC contact for this polling station, Delal Ismael Abdullah, she refused to give us the complaint form for reporting this incident to the IHEC.

From the polling station at Zin shool our observer reported that the room officials at the doors and the supervisors in the rooms urge people to vote for the Kurdistani List no.54.

From the polling stations at Jwan school and Zagruss school observers report seeing the same people vote several times and that others are turned back because they are not on the lists. Also from several polling stations observers notice that elder people accompany their young ones behind the curtains to "help" them vote.

We will file complaint on all incidents we see to the IHEC. We need to do this for the Kurdish people who deserve a fair election and in order to develop the democracy of Kurdistan. We were hoping to get the eyes of the world from international observers to help us, but here in Zakho they are absent.