Protests against election violations and fraud in the presidential and village-city council elections held in Iran on May 19 continue. 69 city council candidates appealed to the Sinê State Election Commission with a joint petition following the fraudulent elections and demanded the elections be renewed in Marîvan city in Sinê state.

The candidates claim there was fraud in the City Council elections and demand a reelection, and point out 8 issues in their joint petition. One of the 8 points states that there are 122.000 voters in Marîvan while 164.000 valid votes came out of the ballots.

Marîvan District Governor Muhammed Şefii made a statement yesterday, threatening the people and saying that they won’t allow for a reelection. But the people of Marîvan and the candidates protested the district governor and asked: “Are you the district governor for these 122.000 people or the candidate for the non-existent 42.000 voters?”

The Sinê State Election Commission will reportedly inform the candidates until Tuesday (tomorrow).

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

The people claimed there was fraud in the Marîvan elections for city council and had started holding protests in front of the district governorate and the army barracks in the city from the first day on. There were claims that 4 Itlaat (Iranian intelligence service) members who were running for Merîvan city council had bought off 6 ballot boxes in return for 100.000.000 tumens.

ANF spoke with a ballot observer who said vehicles with Tahran license plates were bringing in voters and people not registered in Marîvan were voting by the thousands. Instead of the people’s own true candidates, Kerim Mihemedi, Helala Emîni, Abdullah Emanî, Ebdullah Ebdî, Umid Derexşanî, Yedullah Şêx Etarî and Sirwa Şehbazî who are in collaboration with Iranian intelligence Itlaat were announced as the councilors.

Election fraud was seen in Marivân, as well as Urmia, Sinê and Xoy cities in Rojhilat. Objections in these cities also continue.