Igbal Aghazade: chances of candidates for presidency are restricted

Baku/03.10.13/Turan : The campaign  for promotion in Azerbaijan  is limited, said  opportunities for promotion,  the presidential candidate and leader of "Umid" Iqbal Aghazade in an interview with Turan.

According to him, the authorities create obstacles for conducting election campaigns, make pressure on voters, and prevent their meetings with opposition candidates. They use police, intelligence agencies, municipalities, local executive power. Video meetings are conducted to identify the participants. In addition, in some cases, meetings are prevented. On 22 September, the authorities prevented the election rally of  "Umid" party  in Agstafa. In Masally  region  the "Umid" was not allowed to meet with voters.

The members of the campaign staff of  "Umid" were detained in Sumgait, where people were handing out campaign leaflets. A similar event took place in Baku, when a member of the party "Umid"  was detained, and taken to the 22th branch of Nasimi police.

Free air time allotted for public television, has also  been distributed in violation of the law.

"The Election Code reads that the candidate himself determines the form of speech, but in spite of this, the candidates  were  imposed the so-called "round tables",  said Aghazade.

According to him, under limited opportunities  of propaganda the party  "Umid " decided to bring its  campaign leaflets to every family.

In general, according to Aghazade, the campaign takes place in an atmosphere of rigid limitations of political struggle. "This is a result of long-lasting policies by authorities  to narrow the space for political activity,  and not accepting  dissent,"- believes Agazade.—06C-