Ishmael
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 18, 2011
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Turkish imam Hasan Tüfek, also an election board chairman for the June 7 parliamentary election for which voting is currently open in Frankfurt, has apparently been caught committing voter fraud, raising questions about the credibility of ballots coming from overseas and the ruling party's potential involvement in voter fraud abroad.
Tüfek, who is affiliated with the Religious Affairs Directorate, voted during the first days of the polling, held at consulates for overseas voters across Europe beginning on May 8. When casting his vote, Tüfek apparently asked a Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) observer to take his photo. A few days later, he reportedly attempted to cast a second ballot using the name of another man, Doğan Dönmez.
Tüfek allegedly used Dönmez´s name and identity card number to access the computer system and cast another ballot for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). When voting for the second time, he reportedly again asked one of the observers to take a photo of him casting his ballot. The HDP observer who took a photo nearly a week earlier then intervened, along with monitors from other parties as well as consulate officials, and the ballot was taken from the imam´s hand before it was cast. To justify his action, Tüfek was quoted as saying, "I was casting a ballot for my wife. It is her Turkish ID card." He had no response when he was asked whether his wife´s surname is Dönmez.
The imam was removed from his position as chairman of the election board.
Imams´ involvement in vote-rigging raises questions about ballots from Germany
Tüfek, who is affiliated with the Religious Affairs Directorate, voted during the first days of the polling, held at consulates for overseas voters across Europe beginning on May 8. When casting his vote, Tüfek apparently asked a Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) observer to take his photo. A few days later, he reportedly attempted to cast a second ballot using the name of another man, Doğan Dönmez.
Tüfek allegedly used Dönmez´s name and identity card number to access the computer system and cast another ballot for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party). When voting for the second time, he reportedly again asked one of the observers to take a photo of him casting his ballot. The HDP observer who took a photo nearly a week earlier then intervened, along with monitors from other parties as well as consulate officials, and the ballot was taken from the imam´s hand before it was cast. To justify his action, Tüfek was quoted as saying, "I was casting a ballot for my wife. It is her Turkish ID card." He had no response when he was asked whether his wife´s surname is Dönmez.
The imam was removed from his position as chairman of the election board.
Imams´ involvement in vote-rigging raises questions about ballots from Germany
