(AINA) -- Sardar Abdul Karim, member of the Independent High Electoral Commission of Iraq, announced today that IHEC will reconsider its decision to exclude votes from Iraqi expatriates. In a statement to ankawa.com, an Assyrian website, Mr. Karim said the Commission's decision was made in response to complaints and protests made by the representatives of many political lists.

Last week IHEC decided to exclude hundreds of thousands of Iraqi voters in exile under the pretext of insufficient proof of citizenship. The action ignited a firestorm of protests and criticism (AINA 3-9-2010), 3-8-2010).