Musavat Party Highlights Challenges in Azerbaijan’s Extraordinary Parliamentary Elections

Azerbaijan's Musavat Party has released an interim report critiquing the electoral environment surrounding the upcoming extraordinary elections for the Milli Majlis, scheduled for September 1, 2024. The report underscores a series of systemic issues that the party claims undermine the democratic process and fair competition.

The Musavat Party's report highlights a lack of a conducive pre-election democratic environment, citing restrictive legislative frameworks and an uneven playing field. The report notes that fundamental freedoms, such as assembly, speech, and expression, have been severely curtailed. It alleges that persecution and arrests of politicians, journalists, and civil society activists have persisted, targeting those with dissenting opinions and critical voices. Political prisoners remain behind bars, further clouding the electoral atmosphere.

According to the report, opposition and independent candidates faced numerous bureaucratic obstacles during the nomination and signature collection phases. These hurdles included the need for excessive documentation, notarized approvals, and bank endorsements, which were particularly burdensome for those not aligned with the ruling party.

In constituencies such as Khachmaz City No. 57 and Samukh-Shamkir No. 101, Musavat candidates reported being pressured to withdraw through threats and intimidation. Voters supporting opposition candidates were allegedly harassed and threatened by district election commissions (DEC) and local authorities, deterring them from endorsing opposition nominees.

The Musavat Party reported that the procedural requirements for voter signatories were onerous, creating additional barriers for opposition and independent candidates. Many candidates associated with the ruling party reportedly bypassed the legal requirements for collecting signatures, exacerbating the disparities in the electoral process.

Notably, candidates from the Musavat Party, such as Zohrab Amrahov from Khachmaz City No. 57, Ikram Israfil from Sumgayit No. 45, Osman Kazimov from Fuzuli No. 84, and Dunyakhanim Jarullayeva from Ismayilli No. 89, were denied registration on various pretexts despite fulfilling the necessary legal requirements.

The report accuses the ruling political force of manipulating the electoral process, including altering constituency boundaries in violation of the Election Code. The relocation of the Tartar-Agdara-Goranboy constituency No. 97 during the campaign period is cited as a specific example of such interference.

Despite these challenges, the Musavat Party has successfully registered 25 candidates and remains committed to participating in the electoral process. The party plans to deploy numerous observers through the Central Election Commission (CEC) and local structures to monitor the elections and contest any violations or fraud.