Tight Iranian presidential vote marred by abuses News
Tight Iranian presidential vote marred by abuses

[JURIST] Iranian Interior Ministry officials said Friday that intimidation and other abuses were impairing the presidential run-off election between relative moderate and former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani [BBC profile] and hard-liner and mayor of Tehran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [BBC profile]. The Interior Ministry, dominated by Rafsanjani supporters, has requested that some polling locations be closed because of irregularities, such as the presence of Basij religious militiamen. A Rafsanjani aide said police harassed and arrested Rafsanjani representatives and in some locations women voters were turned away for inappropriate Islamic dress. Reuters has more. BBC News compares where the candidates stand on important issues.