NCDF Decides to Boycott Parliamentary Elections

Baku / 10.12.19 / Turan: The early parliamentary elections were scheduled for February 9, 2020. The plan to dissolve the current parliament and schedule new elections was publicized only at the end of November this year. Formally, procedure were launched by the ruling New Azerbaijan Party (YAP). In its meeting of 28 November, the Political Board of the YAP advised to its members who are MPs to appeal to the President to dissolve the parliament. Process ended very rapidly within a week and on 5 December, the President issued a decree to dissovle the parliament and call early parliamentary elections. The election was scheduled for two months later - February 9, 2020.     

The reality shows that the plan to hold snap parliamentary elections is the decision of ruling Aliyevs family. Simply this decision was materialized by the hands of parliament in a humiliated and disrespectful manner. No debates or discussions were held on the early presidential elections before the decision made. On the contrary, the presumptions voiced on the possibility of snap elections were always refuted by them. Even after the plan was announced, the ruling party failed to duly substantiate the decision and no reasonable explanation was put forward. Simply the decision was formalized without complying with the norms and principles just by depending the National Assembly and the Constitutional Court on the will of ruling regime.  

The National Council notes that by this way Aliyevs intended to consolidate the power totally in the hands of a clan and to seize the legislative power again with more obedient composition.   

It appears with all details that the ruling family are in a hurry to prevent any occasion.  Aliyevs’ concern may be related, on the one hand, to the risk of extending them the international scandal “Malta case”, on the other hand, political and socio-economic situation in the country which is worsened day by day. It seems that the ruling family cannot predict what would happen in the upcoming year and until the next parliamentary elections. For these reasons they decided to further strengthen their hand in current favourable situation.  The ruling party’s plan to hold early elections in short period of time was intended to catch the public and the opposition unprepared.   

The National Council states that there is no environment for holding free and fair elections. The Election Code has restrictive content and fails to be in line with international standards, the election commissions are totally under the control of the ruling regime, independent media was destroyed, the people, in fact was deprived of the right to assembly, there are more than 100 political prisoners in the country, opposition activists and politicians are under huge pressure, there is no compotition environment for political groups, there exists police regime in the country.  

The National Council declared 2019 as “a year of election reforms”. Election reforms was one of the priorities of the National Council which was among the demands of its rallies held peaceful rallies such as the 19 October rally which brutally dispersed by the Government by using excessive force. 

Once the decision made by the ruling party to hold the snap parliamentary elections, the National Council put forward its proposals on electoral reforms. The proposals reflect electoral reforms targeted to create minimum election environment. These are as follows:

- Election commissions should be reorganized with representatives from the government, the opposition and the candidates; 

- The artificial barriers to the registration of candidates should be eliminated (2/3 of Popular Front Party and Musavat candidates were not registered in the 2010 parliamentary elections);

- Equal campaigning opportunities, including a chance for candidates to speak on national TV, and restore an opportunity for live party debates;

- Freedom of assembly must be ensured in Baku and in other regions;

- Ensure that election observers have the opportunity to control the process of vote counting and provide them with copies of protocols drawn up at polling stations;

- The electoral complaints procedure should be improved and transparent;

- Political prisoners should be released.

Unfortunately, the Government neglected these proposals as it did before. Even general secretary of the ruling party Ali Ahmadov called these proposals as “demands put forward by anti-Azerbaijani circles”. It is completely obvious that they have no intention to hold free and fair elections but prepares for the next electoral fraud. Having regard to all aforementioned facts, it seems the parliament will be formed out of the will of the people and based on the list arranged with the consent of Aliyevs in advance.   

The National Council, realizing that such conditions will not enable the people to express their free choice, states that it boycotts the early parliamentary elections of 9 February 2020. The National Council considers that the election which will be held under these circumstances cannot reflect the free will of the people and be legitimate. 

The National Council calls on all democratic forces to avoid participating in such an illegitimate process and to cooperate and unify for paving the way for democratic changes. The National Council states that it abides by his struggle for giving power back to the people and it will continue its work to start peaceful national movement which will result in democratic changes. The National Council further calls on the people to be aware and resist by peaceful and legal means its right to be seized. The National Council demands from the international community not to be silent seizing of the power illegally in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe and take actions to force the Azerbaijani Government to abide by its international obligations. 

Azerbaijani Government ignored the National Council’s proposals on electoral reforms. It is completely obvious that the ruling regime has no intention to hold free and fair elections but prepares for the next electoral fraud. 

It seems the parliament will be formed out of the will of the Azerbaijani people and based on the list arranged in advance with the consent of Aliyevs 

The National Council, realizing that such conditions will not enable the people to express their free choice, states that it boycotts the early parliamentary elections of 9 February 2020. 

The National Council calls on all the democratic forces to avoid participating in such an illegitimate process and cooperate and unify for paving the way for democratic changes and states that it abides by his struggle for giving power back to the people.

The National Council will continue its work to start peaceful national movement which will result in democratic changes. The National Council further calls on the people to resist by peaceful and legal means their electoral rights to be seized. 

The National Council demands from the international community not to be silent seizing of the power illegally in a country that is a member of the Council of Europe and to take actions to force the Azerbaijani Government to abide by its international obligations.