Protests in Egypt against voting fraud

The National Salvation Front opposing Morsi’s draft constitution called rallies across Egypt to protest allegations of widespread voting fraud in the first round of the vote. The popular referendum is a two-step process including two rounds. The draft passed the first round by 56% with reportedly a low turnout of voters; the second round is scheduled for this Saturday. The election laws require each polling station be monitored by a judge but many of the country’s judges boycotted the referendum so they were replaced with other government employees--rendering the process illegal. Rights groups & others filed complaints to the Justice Ministry on this issue & thousands of alleged voting abuses. The Justice Ministry ordered an investigation which probably won’t amount to a hill of beans since the second vote is in only two days & Morsi & the military are clearly trying to ram this constitution through. One marvels at the flagrancy of their defiance of democratic process when they’re staring down a revolution but it signifies danger & must be defeated. This woman is among the protestors outside the presidential palace in Cairo. That tank sitting there certainly doesn’t bode well.  (Photo by Hassan Ammar/AP)