The Egyptian Supreme Elections Committee rejects the establishment of the Tahrir (Liberation) Party, led by Egyptian Shiite and activist Ahmed Rassem El-Nafees.
The secretary-general of the Elections Committee, Mohamed Mahgoub, says that the party did not meet a number of legal criteria set by the new elections law for the establishment of new political parties. One of the requirements the party did not meet is the 5000-member minimum.
El-Nafees emphasised in an October interview with Al-Arabiya News that Tahrir is not a party based on religion, which is illegal and unconstitutional.
Earlier in August he had already said to Al-Ahram daily newspaper that it is a civil party, not a Shiite party, and furthermore, that they have members from many different political and ideological orientations.
Without official recognition, parties cannot officially run in the upcoming 28 November parliament elections.
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