Initial Report on Media Silence

Tammuz Organization continues in observation all stages of the election process to election of Anbar and Nineveh council, and it also observed Media Silence Day on Wednesday 19th of April since the first hours of it, It is well known that in the Day of Silence all campaigning for candidates, political entities and coalitions, both field campaigning or media and a commitment to silence of media is an international standards that allow voter to choose its candidate quietly and without interference or confuse of the electoral propaganda.
Commission issued Law No. 10 included a list of controls to propaganda campaigns for political entities participating in the elections, also formed committees to monitor violations on the Media Silence Day and then the accountable offenders and impose penalties and fines on them according to the law, and is supposed to be announced about dissent political entities.
Through our observation Day of Media Silence, our observers recorded a number of violations in Anbar province of Nineveh, which we refer to in the following paragraphs:
First: Direct propagandas from the candidates, entities and supporters and they have also been observed the following violations:
1. Some candidates breach Silence of Media through sending SMS by mobile in Anbar and Nineveh
2. Sending messages on mobile for candidate no.2 from list 449 in Anbar
3. It was noted that a curfew was imposed yesterday afternoon in Anbar province.
4. Distribute cards as a propagandas in Anbar and Nineveh
5. Wandering cars that promote for candidates in various districts of the provinces Anbar and Nineveh for list 444.
6. It was noted that there are approximately twenty Kia car adhering posters with pictures of the candidate list 486 candidate No. 3 Arkan Khalaf Trmoz for transporting voters on polling day.
7. Observed the presence of vehicles carrying images for List 444 candidate No. 32.
8. It was noted the presence of tax cars adhering pictures of the candidate list 515 No. 45
9. it was noted the presence of car carries pictures for list 445 and put the images on electricity poles in front of a polling station near the Independent Electoral Commission at a distance 15-meter of electoral center at 5:45 pm in the afternoon
10. Posters and Billboards for candidates close to the election centers at a distance less than 50 meters in the city of Fallujah.
11. It was noted billboards for list 486 no.3 and list 489 no.2
12. Campaign propaganda near Fallujah Secondary School for girls , and there are posters for list 444 No. 10 and the same candidate list No. 1 and list 420 No. 18 and list 490 no. 3
Second: propaganda via websites and social networking sites and most political entities.
-Some candidates spread electoral propagandas on their profile on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter
-Some supporters of some lists spread pictures and posters of candidates and call to vote them in groups within Fcaebook.
-Advertising some citizens about its intention to vote for special candidates and invite them through facebook
In spite of the measures weakness adopted by the Commission to limit the continuation these violations that usually impose financial penalties on violating entities of the law, but we call on the Electoral Commission to enforce law and the list of controls of campaigning that ratified by all participated entities in the elections, and we also call on the Council of Representatives to legislation law of parties and determine the exchange of electoral campaigns,  and call on the Commission to develop more severe measures to accountable violators in order to give the voter the opportunity to think and choose their representatives without the directly or indirectly effect.
Media Center

Tammuz Organization for Social Development
19.04.2013