Security committee warns against sabotage of e-voting devices during Iraqi elections

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Iraqi Parliament’s Security Committee on Sunday revealed what it called a “plan” led by powerful political parties to disrupt electronic voting devices ahead of the May 12 elections.

Hakim al-Zamli, Head of the Iraqi Parliament’s Security Committee, said there were plots by influential political parties to pave the way for fraud in the parliamentary elections by tampering with e-voting devices.

“We have received confirmed intelligence about attempts from some political parties to tamper with e-voting devices,” Zamli said in a statement.

He said the plan relied on the manual counting of votes to falsify results, warning of a sabotage of the devices hours before the opening of ballot stations.

The Security Committee Head called on the Independent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) to honor its responsibility of maintaining the integrity of the devices.

He also urged security forces to take the highest degree of care and caution to protect the devices and prevent manipulation.

According to Zamli, the political parties trying to tamper with e-voting have been involved in fraud in past elections where they have allowed corrupt people to reach key decision-making positions in the country.

“Those who are taking the path toward corruption do not want the elections process to be transparent and fair so they can achieve narrow party gains,” he stated, stressing the need “to cancel results at polling stations where the disruption of e-devices is confirmed.”

Editing by Karzan Sulaivany