Early presidential elections were not free and fair - Musavat

The Musavat party has published a preliminary conclusion on the early presidential elections in Azerbaijan that took place on February 7.

The document distributed by the party’s press service states that “early presidential elections were called without any preliminary public discussions, without explaining to the people the reasons for their holding.”

The Musavat Party called on the Azerbaijani authorities to take steps to create democratic conditions for elections, release political prisoners, ensure the rights to freedom of assembly, freedom of expression, and create conditions for applicants to be represented in election commissions.

These proposals put forward by the Musavat party to create equal competitive conditions during the election campaign remained unanswered. On the contrary, persecution of political opponents and politically motivated arrests continued even after early elections were called.

In this regard, the Musavat party decided not to take part in the early presidential elections.

The document also notes that early elections were called without political necessity.

This decision actually served to create non-competitive conditions for the head of the country, Ilham Aliyev, to become president for the fifth time, Musavat further states.

The statement also indicates that the early elections were held in conditions of maintaining the control of the ruling force over the election commissions.

During the election campaign, most candidates did not communicate their platforms to the electorate, did not hold mass rallies, did not make promises, and did not conduct a campaign in general.

During observations conducted on election day, violations were identified such as “the failure of the majority of voters to show up at polling stations,” “providing the opportunity for groups of voters to vote several times at different polling stations, and stuffing several ballots into ballot boxes. “All this indicates that the numbers on voter turnout announced by the Central Election Commission are exaggerated several times,” Musavat believes.

The party comes to the conclusion that “the early elections of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, held on February 7, 2024, were not free and fair” and do not reflect the will of the people.

“This election, like other elections held in our country in recent years, did not comply with the commitments made to the UN, the OSCE and other influential international institutions,” the statement continued.
The Musavat party demands the annulment of the results of early presidential elections in the Republic of Azerbaijan and the holding of new democratic elections that meet international standards and reflect the will of the people.