Official Website of Ahrar Party

Iraq’s electoral commission considers ban on 15 political parties

 

Iraq's electoral commission have announced that they will decide 'within days' whether to ban 15 political parties from running in the forthcoming elections because their leaders allegedly have Ba'athist links.

Ayad Jamal Aldin, leader of the Ahrar party, believes that the banning of these parties - without concrete evidence linking them to paramilitary groups or terrorist activity - would be unreasonable and further demonstrates the corrupt politics that Maliki's government abide to.

"These elections must be to the benefit of the Iraqi people, not simply the ruling powers. This ruling further demonstrates Maliki's fear that the voters have grown tired of his regime's sectarianism and corruption. By eliminating competition the government is manipulating the electoral system, just as Saddam Hussein did before him." Says Mr. Jamal Aldin.

"Free and fair elections must be inclusive and, although we may disagree with some of the other parties policies, to ban them from taking part in the elections risks sabotaging the entire political process. The people should be allowed to decide for themselves."

 

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Ahrar Media Bureau
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About Ayad Jamal Aldin:

Ayad Jamal Aldin is a Shia cleric, best known for his consistent campaigning for a new, secular Iraq. He first rose to prominence at the Nasiriyah conference in March 2003, shortly before the fall of Saddam, where he called for a state free of religion, the turban and other theological symbols. In 2005, he was elected as one of the 25 MPs on the Iraqi National List, but withdrew in 2009 after becoming disenchanted with Iyad Allawi's overtures to Iran. He wants complete independence from Iranian interference in Iraq. He now leads the Ahrar party for the 2010 election to the Council of Representatives, to clean up corruption and create a strong, secure and liberated Iraq for the future.