The public prosecutor of Luxor ordered the detention of a notary employee for four days on Tuesday, pending investigation on charges he forged signatures in support of presidential candidate Amr Moussa.
A judicial source said the director of the notary office, Gamal Abdel Aziz, was released as he was not involved in the incident.
Investigators discovered that the signatures were forged during non-working hours and without payment of fees. They are summoning the citizens whose names appeared in the signatures in order to verify them.
The Presidential Elections Law states candidates should get either 30,000 signatures from at least 15 governorates or the signatures of 30 Parliament members.
Moussa is widely considered to be a remnant of ousted President Mubarak’s regime. He served as foreign minister under Mubarak from 1991 to 2001, and then as secretary general of the Arab League from 2001 until last May.
Abdel Moneim Abouel Fotouh said in a campaign rally in Suez last week, “Attempts to manipulate the will of people already started in favor of a particular candidate.”
He also warned of vote bribery, urging people to participate in the election to prevent rigging attempts. Hazem Abu Ismail’s Facebook page also warned of attempts to forge signatures.
Translated from Al-Masry Al-Youm
