E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Amr Abdallah Dalsh / Reuters
Supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi and members of the Muslim Brotherhood chant pro-Morsi slogans during a rally in Cairo on Friday in the runup to Saturday's vote on a draft constitution.
Updated at 9:31 a.m. ET: Egyptians voted on Saturday on a constitution promoted by its Islamist backers as the way out of a prolonged political crisis and rejected by opponents as a recipe for further divisions in the Arab world's biggest nation.
Lines formed outside polling stations in Cairo and other cities and soldiers joined police to secure the referendum process after deadly protests during the build-up. Street brawls again erupted on Friday in Alexandria, Egypt's second city.
ANALYSIS: As Egypt votes, what is at stake?
The opposition says the constitution is too Islamist and tramples on minority rights. Morsi's supporters say the charter is needed if progress is to be made toward democracy nearly two years after the fall of military strongman Hosni Mubarak.
Highlighting the tension in the run-up to the vote, nearly 120,000 army troops were deployed on Saturday to protect polling stations. Clashes between Morsi's supporters and opponents over the past three weeks have left at least 10 people dead and about 1,000 wounded.
"The times of silence are over," bank employee Essam el-Guindy said as he waited to cast his ballot in Cairo's upscale Zamalek district. "I am not OK with the constitution. Morsi should not have let the country split like this."
El-Guindy was one of about 20 men standing in line. A separate women's line had twice as many people. Elsewhere in the city, hundreds of voters waited outside polling stations for nearly two hours before stations opened at 8 a.m.
PhotoBlog: Egyptians vote on divisive constitution
"I read parts of the constitution and saw no reason to vote against it," said Rania Wafik as she held her newborn baby while waiting in line. "We need to move on and I just see no reason to vote against the constitution."
In Alexandria on Friday, tensions boiled over into a street brawl between rival factions armed with clubs, knives and swords. Several cars were set on fire and a Muslim preacher who had urged people to vote "yes" to the constitution was trapped inside his mosque by angry opposition supporters.
NBC's Ayman Mohyeldin is outside the presidential palace in Cairo where hundreds of thousands are protesting what they say is an unjust constitution. They want to delay a vote on the current draft of the constitution now scheduled for December 15.
In the capital, Cairo, both sides made low-key final efforts to rally supporters.
Flag-waving Islamists gathered peacefully at one of the main mosques, some shouting "Islam, Islam'' and "We've come here to say 'yes' to the constitution."
Opposition supporters — who have been urged to vote "no" by their leaders — assembled outside the presidential palace.
The building remains ringed with police, soldiers and tanks after street clashes caused at least eight deaths earlier this month in violence prompted by Morsi's decision to award himself sweeping powers in order to ram through the new charter.
ANALYSIS: Egypt's military maintains watchful eye on politics
The referendum will be held on two days — this Saturday and next — because there are not enough judges willing to monitor all polling stations after some in the judiciary said they would boycott the vote.
Egyptians are being asked to accept or reject a constitution that must be in place before a parliamentary election can be held next year — an event many hope can steer the country toward stability.
The measure is generally expected to pass, given the well-organized Muslim Brotherhood's record of winning elections since the fall of Mubarak. Many Egyptians, tired of turmoil, may simply fall in line and vote "yes."
If the constitution is voted down, a new assembly will have to be formed to draft a revised version, a process that could take up to nine months.
ANALYSIS: Egypt is rapidly approaching its own 'cliff'
Just over half of Egypt's electorate of 51 million will vote in the first round in Cairo and other cities. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) and will close 12 hours later.
Official results will not be announced until after the second round, though it is likely that details will emerge after the first round that will give an idea of the overall trend.
The charter has been criticised by some overseas bodies.
The International Council of Jurists, a Geneva-based human rights group, said it falls short of international standards on the accountability of the armed forces, the independence of the judiciary, and recognition of human rights.
'Men don't have to worry about being caught': Sex mobs target Egypt's women
United Nations human rights experts said the draft should be reviewed to ensure that Egypt meets its obligations under international law on equality and women's rights.
To provide security for the vote, the army has deployed about 120,000 troops and 6,000 tanks and armoured vehicles to protect polling stations and other government buildings. While the military backed Mubarak and his predecessors, it has not intervened on either side in the present crisis.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More world stories from NBC News:
- ANALYSIS: As Egypt votes on its constitution, what is at stake?
- Japan seeks a real leader after 7 PMs in 6 years
- ANALYSIS: Egypt's military keeps close eye on politics
- EXCLUSIVE: Susan Rice drops out of running for secretary of state
- North Korean progress on nuclear arms, long-range missiles rattles US and allies
- 'Who is my Mandela?' South Africans consider icon's place in a changing world
- Google+ Hangout from Egypt with NBC News' Ayman Mohyeldin
- Royal prank call: Duped nurse was found hanging, also had wrist injuries
Leave a Comment:
Flag-waving Islamists gathered peacefully at one of the main mosques, some shouting "Islam, Islam'' and "We've come here to say 'yes' to the constitution."
Shouting "Islam, Islam" is a sure sign the country is going backwards. The greater the desire for Islam the more backwards the society. Conversely, the weaker the desire for Islam the greater the prospects for progress and a more civilized society. There's never been an exception to this cardinal rule.
The Muslim Brotherhood won the election by a very slim margin, and now they wish to introduce a controversial constitution that is highly biased in favour of the Islamists and to the exclusion of everyone else.
The constitution comprises 236 articles. Article 2 stipulates the principal source of legislation will be Islamic Law. What does this mean to non-Muslims, and how will this affect the substantial minority of some 45% [Christian, secular, non-Islamists, and anti-Muslim Brotherhood/Salafi]?
And here's the catch: Who are the official interpreters of the social legislation as cited in Article 2? The law courts? Not according to Article 4, which gives power of interpretation --- not to judges --- but to the Islamic scholars at Cairo’s al-Azhar University (Imagine the US Supreme Court relinquishing its absolute authority to say, the Mormon Church; or Britain's High Court yielding its judicial powers to say, the Church of England). And so we are back again to the Brotherhood. Little wonder many of the judges are boycotting the voting, and with so few judges to oversee the process, the results will be highly contentious, further exacerbating the deep suspicions and divisions in this fractured society. Either way this is a lose-lose situation.
This new constitution is written in such a way that is open to vastly different interpretations and different articles appear to be in conflict with one another. The overriding thing is that it states that Shariah law is paramount and that a bunch of Sunni clerics have say over all laws and legal decisions. This is in conflict with any concept of freedom of religion. Also, the article in the constitution that reads
is extremely troubling in that no where in the document does it define what the "divine religions" are. This could easily be interpreted by the Sunni clerics as only meaning the flavors of Islam they approve of. The constitution as written leaves far too much open to interpretation and when that interpretation is going to be done by a bunch of Islamist Sunni clerics it does not bode well for the rights of women or minorities.
Of course the two day voting structure was set up because far too many judges refused to participate in overseeing this referendum. How long do you think that any non-Islamist judges will remain on the bench once this referendum passes and Morsi has the right to appoint the judges. I suspect that there will be a very major house cleaning of the existing judiciary with the existing judges who are not Islamists being replaced with ones who are. Also, the two day voting with the days a week apart gives the Muslim Brotherhood even more of an opportunity to rig the elections than they would have under a one day vote. They will have the chance to get a view of how the referendum is fairing after the first day to determine to what extent they need to stuff the ballot boxes going into the second day to make sure that the referendum passes. Be assured that the referendum will pass. The MB is in complete control of the country at this point and they are not going to allow anything to happen that might jeopardize that control. They rigged the presidential election to get their man Morsi into office and will rig this referendum to get this constitution in place to solidify their hold.
"Flag-waving Islamists gathered peacefully at one of the main mosques, some shouting "Islam, Islam'' and "We've come here to say 'yes' to the constitution.""
This Sunni Islamic version of Islam will a copy of the rule of House of Saud in Saudi Arabia.
In Saudi Arabia women, minorities including those of non-Salaffi and Wahhabi sects/tribes, non-Muslims are treated worse than slaves.
House of Saud consists of a megalomaniac, despotic and bigoted Wahhabi ruler and highly corrupt, despotic, bigoted seventh century mindset 5000 princes and princesses. They have assembled shamelessly huge battalions of girls and women from all over the world.
In the name of Islam, it will be rule of few and for the few in Egypt as in Saudi Arabia.
It will be real bad news for sane Muslims including those of minority sects/tribes, females, Christians and Jews.
Throw out these mad Sunni Islamic maniacs at the earliest.
I can make a prediction that it will pass. With that many military troops backing the polling stations, you can bet they aren't going to let the opposition try to stop anyone from interfering. This is one constitution that is going to get rammed down the people's throat. Unless they come out in massive numbers. And it looks like the people are getting tired. Plus do we really trust the votes to be counted accurately? Duh!
"The measure is generally expected to pass, given the well-organized Muslim Brotherhood's record of winning elections since the fall of Mubarak. Many Egyptians, tired of turmoil, may simply fall in line and vote "yes.""
Do these Sunni brand of Islamic religious Nazis know fairness, level playing field, democracy, human rights, women rights, tolerance and other big words used by their pals in the US when required?
In all the Islamic religious madness on the rampage all over the world most ungrateful and backstabbing Sunni rulers of House of Saud, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait and other Sunni Arab League nations are real culprits!
It is a disgrace and will be cutting our, British, French, Germans and others legs to keep these Sunni ruling Islamic religious Nazis alive on the map!
Netanyahus and the US Jewish lobby should see the immediate dangers of dancing along with them!
As much as I respect every religion there is, when it becomes law is when society takes a turn for the worst. It shouldn't be a majority rules matter, there should be equal respect for all sides regardless of numbers. Whatever happens next I can see clashes stepping up if not civil war on the horizon.
The bottom line is that the Govt. of Egypt is going to be Islamist. The Govt. is going to be based on a theology. This is going to impeed Egypt to successfuly function on a geo-political format.
Kevin-749492....I think your absolutley right...and with the Sharia law as a basis for the law making the rights of women, children and non Muslim's will be trampled on. The Gov't will hoard all the money and live in luxury, just like the rest of the Muslim world.
It'll be another Iran.
Humans have a little gratitude, shame and some morality!
Iraqi wars saved the Sunni rulers of Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia and some other Sunni rulers.
These Sunni rulers and their armies vanished from the scene and they became good guys before world Muslims.
In return, they manipulated high oil prices from around $30 to around $145 at the height of Iraqi wars; made themselves rich; and funded their hate preaching and killer training Salaffi and Wahhabi mosques all over the world.
How many mosques were there in the US before 1991 and how many are there now?
Look at their madness in Syria.
They can't tolerate a far better leader like Assad just because he belongs to a different Muslim sect!
In Bahrain, Shiites can't have their own Shiite ruler. But the ruler has to be a Sunni one and approved by House of Saud and co!
In Syria, these very ungrateful and backstabbing Sunnis and their pals like al Qaida, Salaffi and MB are not able to dislodge Assad even with the help of another seventh century Sunni dancer like Turkey's Erdogan!
So new set of inventions (some just crude and idiotic looking) and dramas to outsource their dirty jobs of removing Assad (as they did with Saddam) have been going on!
They and their lobbyists are inventing WMDs in Iran. Iran can get as many nukes as it wants from Pakis.
So we have sanctions on Iranian oil and oil which was around $40 in 2009 has shot beyond $110 now!
There are more than a billion of Sunnis around the world. They form around 80 percent of Muslim population.
For a change can't these shameless Sunni rulers and their brand of Sunnis handle Assad in Syria and Iran?
Islamic terrorist will not let the Egyptian people be anything but uneducated slaves to a false prophet ..
Can you imagine the Arab Spring coming to America and all the women in New York City needed to wear Burkas?
Separate Line for Women? Sounds like a Muslim Dictatorship with "Voting Here" facade. Saudi Arabia has taken over Egypt, Libya, & Iraq - who's next?
Do you see any women in the picture at the beginning of the article? Seems as though sharia is already in place. The evil virus known as islam keeps spreading leaving nothing but death, destruction and despair in its wake.