CAIRO: Egyptians living abroad can vote in elections in their respective embassies, the administrative court said Tuesday. Justice Abdel Salam Al-Naggar, head of the first circuit of administrative court and vice president of the state council, ruled that the government should establish electoral headquarters in Egyptian embassies around the world, to enable Egyptians living abroad to vote in the upcoming elections. Details of how such system would work remained unclear. Egyptians expats have staged protests across North America and Europe demanding the right to vote through embassies. Some have filed a court case demanding that the heads of the Supreme Council for Armed Forces (SCAF) and the Supreme Electoral Commission guarantee that right. Last April, as part of amendments to the political participation law, the Cabinet of Ministers announced that Egyptians living overseas would be allowed to vote in presidential elections and public referendums at embassies and consulates. However, no serious steps have been taken towards the implementation of this announcement. In May, SCAF member General Mamdouh Shaheen said that the first article of the amended Law of Political Rights recognizes the right of all Egyptians to exercise their political rights. However, in practice there are logistical and financial problems halting the implementation of these rights (voting), he added. In June, Assistant Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs Mohamed Abdel Hakam said Egyptian expats will not be able to vote. In other press releases, the head of the Supreme Elections Commission, Chancellor Abdel Moez Ibrahim was quoted as saying that the decision has to be taken by an authority higher than the Supreme Electoral Commission. He added if any Egyptian wants to vote, he/she is welcome to come to Egypt and do so. The Supreme Electoral Commission could not be reached for comment. There are around 7–8 million Egyptians living abroad; more than 74 percent of whom live in Arab countries while 26 percent live in Western countries, including Australia and New Zealand, according to statistics.
