ENAR Call for Fair and Free Election

Arab World Elections Network expresses its pride of peoples revolutions in the face of regimes hostile to civil liberties and human rights, which revealed the real lack of regulations for the popular legitimacy, for they imposed dictatorial regimes and systems of police that did not respect freedom of opinion and expression, assembly and association on the one hand, and worked on forging the will of the people by manipulating elections , and for several decades, on the other hand, and that was through the organization of a series of parliamentary and presidential elections, which lacked the International Standards under the noses of public opinion domestically and internationally.

The Network respectfully appreciates the active role of civil society organizations in all countries, especially human rights organizations, which contributed in promoting a culture of human rights and defended it through the past decades.
The Network notes the need to have people aware of the fate of the popular revolution toward true democracy through free and fair parliamentary and presidential elections in accordance with (international standards for free and fair elections), which allows the participation of international monitors and local specialists.

The evaluation of all aspects of the electoral process in the Arab States is of paramount importance at this time, to create an environment conducive to the holding of elections and guarantee to assist in providing political support and participation of the different parties so as to achieve the results of credible and transparent elections in the eyes of the people in particular, and the international community in general.
Among the most prominent of these criteria is the one contained in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in Article (25), which confirmed that the election monitoring is essential to achieving the principle of impartiality. And the declaration of principles for international election monitoring and a code of conduct for international control of the elections thereto, adopted by the United Nations on  October 27^th, 2005.

The most important of these criteria: –

1. The need to provide a safe and favorable environment free of fear, threat and abuse of the electoral process in general and to the voters, candidates and staff working to implement them.
2. The need to provide a democratic atmosphere, and the widening political participation in elections.
3. The adoption of stable electoral legislation.
4. The need to provide a register of voters with high credibility.
5. Ensure the availability of awareness campaigns to voters.
6. Ensure transparency in the electoral system and practice in the electoral process.
7. Ensure the availability and participation and the work of international missions to monitor the elections, as well as international governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as local NGOs and representatives of political entities in the monitoring of elections and freedom of access to all information and the polling stations and access to the free and unbiased conclusions and assessments.

The network also calls for reconsidering its respect for human rights and the promotion of public freedoms, which guarantee for citizens freedom of opinion and expression, association and participation in the management of public affairs, the right to hold office, participate in the free and fair elections, and equal rights of citizens, without discrimination on any basis whatsoever.

The Network stresses the following demands:

1. Amendment of national legislation in line with the international law of human rights.
2. Respect international standards for free and fair elections and which is monitored by really independent election commissions.
3. Respect for public freedoms in the Arab world, particularly freedom of opinion and expression.
4. Abolition of emergency laws in force in a number of Arab countries.

The Network began to work with local partners to contribute to the preparation, recruitment, and training of observers to monitor and submit reports concerning the integrity and transparency of the upcoming elections in various Arab countries.
Board of Directors

Arab World Elections Network