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Afghanistan + 1 more

Afghanistan in June 2014

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Elections

On the 14th, the Presidential Elections run-off was held between Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani. Election authorities put the turnout at 7 million - higher than the first round. A heavy price was paid. Election-related violence claimed around 60 lives, while dozens more were injured including 11 elderly men whose index fingers were cut off by the Taliban because they voted.

Unlike the first round, the run-off proved to be a disappointment. Abdullah accused the Independent Election Commission (IEC) for orchestrating wholesale fraud. He called that the vote counting be stopped and since then has suspended ties with electoral management bodies.

On the 23rd, Ziaulhaq Amarkhil, Head of IEC, stepped down. A day before his resignation, Abdullah released phone conversations in which Amarkhil allegedly spoke to his and Ghani’s electoral staffs to instruct them to stuff ballot boxes, co-opt local officials and staff polling stations with officials sympathetic to Ghani. Amarkhil denied all allegations. He first got into controversy on the run-off day when Kabul police stopped his vehicles for allegedly stealing ballots from the IEC's HQ.

Echoing Abdullah’s concern, the Transparent Election Foundation of Afghanistan, an independent watchdog, announced on the 19th that the turnout might not have been more than six million.

Playing down the impasse, President Karzai said he is looking at solving the issue through electoral bodies and if need be through the UN. The UN Mission in Afghanistan has been encouraging the Presidential candidates to cooperate with each other and with the electoral institutions. The suggested date for the inauguration of new President is 2nd August.

In response to the rising political tensions, on the 25th Afghan journalists' associations and media executives signed a Code of Good Conduct with the aim to 'responsibly' cover the elections. The 11-article code asks journalists not to interview those who encourage religious and ethnic hatred. Media played a key role in the success of first round of Presidential elections.