Ahead of next month's elections in Jordan, five people have been charged with vote-buying, the Jordan Times reports. Under the electoral law, they could face seven years in jail.

The 2007 elections were marred by complaints of irregularities and this is the first time the Jordanian authorities have charged anyone with vote manipulation, according to the German dpa news agency.

At present, 817 candidates, including 137 women, are listed to contest the elections on November 9 but objections to some of them are still being heard in the courts.

The Islamic Action Front, the main opposition group, is boycotting the poll, on the grounds that the government has failed to give adequate assurances against ballot-rigging.

Posted by Brian Whitaker, 28 October 2010