A joint observation mission from the OSCE PA and OSCE/ ODIHR concluded on 7 February that lack of genuine political alternatives in a restricted environment characterized Azerbaijan’s early presidential election. This was the first election to be held throughout the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan, an issue that dominated the campaign and was echoed in public sentiment.
Longstanding restrictions on freedoms of association and expression were reinforced by recent legal amendments and resulted in legislation not in line with international standards, observers said in a statement delivered in Baku by OSCE PA Second Committee Vice-Chair Artur Gerasymov (Ukraine), Special Co-ordinator and leader of the OSCE short-term observers.
“We have witnessed a historic moment in Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, in this first presidential election held across the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan since independence,” said Gerasymov. “The early presidential election was held in a restrictive environment, and while it was efficiently prepared, critical voices and political alternatives were largely absent.”
OSCE PA Vice-President Daniela De Ridder (Germany), who led the OSCE PA delegation, noted that there was an absence of an engaged and informative public campaign between political alternatives. “The media environment remained extremely constrained,” she further highlighted, “leaving voters without the possibility to meaningfully inform themselves about the options on voting day.”
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The international election observation mission totaled 335 observers from 42 countries, including 256 from ODIHR and 79 from the OSCE PA.
