Azerbaijan National NGO Forum releases final report on April 11 presidential election

Azerbaijan National NGO Forum releases final report on April 11 presidential election
# 26 April 2018 11:30 (UTC +04:00)

The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum has announced its final report on the observation of the presidential election held in Azerbaijan on April 11, 2018.

President of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum Rauf Zeyni told a press conference on Thursday that the organization was registered by Azerbaijan’s Central Election Commission (CEC) for observation throughout the country during the presidential election.

The presidential election was held in 5,641 polling stations in 125 constituencies, including 41 stations set up in Azerbaijan’s embassies and consulates abroad. The election headquarters of the Azerbaijan National NGO Forum observed the April 11 presidential election in 1,180 polling stations in 118 constituencies with 590 local observers and 30 observers across the country.

Zeyni noted that there were conditions for holding free, democratic, transparent and fair election in the country. The adoption of legal documents regulating the election process by the legislation and the CEC has created a complete legal framework to hold elections in line with international standards.

The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum’s observation mission did not register any violations of election law or election rights during its monitoring, Zeyni said, adding that freedom of assembly, organizing election campaigns, holding rallies and other mass events, freedom of speech and other rights were fully ensured.

He said that nearly 60,000 observers, including 118 representatives from 51 foreign media outlets, as well as 894 foreign observers representing 59 countries and 61 international organizations stated that the presidential election in Azerbaijan was free, fair and transparent.

Many observers from the OSCE/ODIHR, OSCE PA and PACE election observation missions have openly stated this position separately, added Zeyni.

"However, it is regrettable to note that in the report released in the name of these organizations, negativity of unknown sources and which had no impact on the outcome of the election was exaggerated. A tendency to shadow the results of all 5,641 polling stations throughout the country by also displaying a sharp distinction from the views of their representatives has been demonstrated. This report also draws attention to numerous internal contradictions. The preparation of OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE PA, and the PACE observation mission’s reports gives great suspicion of the heads of missions carrying out various pressures of political intentions on their observers,” he said.

“The Azerbaijan National NGO Forum states that the presidential elections held in Azerbaijan on April 11 reflected the people’s will,” Zeyni added.

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THE OPERATION IS BEING PERFORMED