The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has started communications with the government of Azerbaijan on 11 complaints on the violation of the rights of candidates in the parliamentary elections of 2010. The cases are of Tofig Yagublu ( former candidate from the Bloc "Popular Front-Musavat"), Sardar Jalaloghlu (bloc "Karabakh "), Bakhtiyar Hajiyev (independent candidate) , Ilgar Hussein (independent candidate) , Nariman Yahyayev (bloc "PPFA - Musavat" ) Gozel Bayramly (bloc " PPFA - Musavat ") , Namet Aliyev (the bloc "Popular Front - Musavat "), Salman Imanly (bloc "Karabakh "), Sahib Karimov (bloc "PPFA - Musavat "), Arzu Samadbayli (bloc "PPFA - Musavat"), and Hasan Kerimov (bloc "Popular Front -Musavat".)
According to the head of the Legal Enlightenment Society, Intiqam Aliyev, the applicants complain of fraud in the election, including unlawful interference by authorities, the use of administrative resources in favor of the ruling party, discrimination, etc.
ECHR gave the government until February 7, 2014 to answer these questions. According to Aliyev, there are 43 complaints on the parliamentary elections of 2010.
Of them, 31 complaints relate to the unreasonable refusal in registrations, and 12 violations during the election process with no investigation. Overall, more than 100 complaints were filed to the ECHR.
Earlier, the ECHR considered 11 of 40 complaints about violations during the parliamentary elections in 2005, and admitted to rights violations of the applicants. Applications of seven more candidates were excluded because of civil rights violations. Another application exclusion by Ismail Salimov, was due to a peace agreement signed with the government. Decision will be made soon on Hasan Kerimov (PPFA) application.
Considering the applications received on the 2005 and the start of communications on complaints with the 2010 elections indicates that local and international democratic communities is correct when it claims there is a lack of free and fair elections, said Intiqam Aliyev. According to him, the government has not fulfilled obligations set by ECHR on the 2005 election.
The talk is not about paying compensation, but on the obligations to investigate violations, among which there are facts of a criminal nature. No one on these decisions has brought to administrative or criminal liability. Rather than improve electoral legislation and practice, authorities tighten campaign conditions, Aliyev said.
The 2013 presidential election showed a lack in the government’s intention to hold a fair election.
Aliyev believes that it is necessary to bring up the non-execution of court decisions by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Despite the "caviar diplomacy" by authorities, the position of official Baku in Strasbourg, under pressure from local and international democratic community, has weakened.—06D-
Politics
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