"Platform III of the Republic" calls to vote against government candidates in Parliamentary elections

"Platform III of the Republic" issued a statement in which it expressed its attitude to the extraordinary elections to Milli Majlis scheduled for 1 September. The structure initially considers these elections not legitimate. Justifying its position, the "Platform" draws attention to the absence of a democratic electoral environment.

The current electoral legislation, including the Electoral Code, lacks an objective legal basis for free and fair elections.

The Central Election Commission and lower-level election commissions are not based on the principles of political impartiality and are not based on parity representation of the main political actors. Besides, the current elections are being held in an atmosphere of unprecedented political repression, which began in November 2023.

As a result of the repression, all possibilities for independent political activity have been virtually eliminated.

The repressive wave aimed at eliminating those who criticize the media, real civil society and principled political forces has not bypassed the "Platform III of the Republic".

In March 2024, the "Platform"s speaker Akif Gurbanov and board member Ruslan Izzetli were arrested in a politically motivated and unfounded criminal case of smuggling.

Following the search, the platform's office was sealed and it is now forced to operate without a headquarters. All board members are at risk of arrest.

The repressive environment thus makes campaigning impossible.

The necessary factors for the democratic election campaign - freedom of expression, assembly and association - have long been erased from Azerbaijan's political reality.

There is a de facto total ban on holding rallies in the country.

The new Law "On Political Parties" has made the existence of parties dependent on the authorities.

Repressive measures aimed at extra-systemic organizational structuring have led to the freezing of the activities of these organizations.

The "Platform" urges voters to go to the polls, but not to vote for candidates of the ruling "Yeni Azerbaijan" Party, candidates openly supporting the government's policy and candidates of those ‘opposition’ parties that are ‘satellites’ of the regime.

*A group of social and political activists announced the establishment of the "Platform" on 7 December 2023. The aim of the structure was declared to be the establishment of a truly Republican government in Azerbaijan.

Among the founders of the "Platform" are Akif Gurbanov, Araz Aliyev, Elman Fattah, Rovshan Agayev, Ruslan Izzatli, Samed Rahimli and Yadigar Sadigli. In March, Gurbanov and Izzatli were arrested in the Toplum TV case.--