Statement by the Spokesperson of the European External action service on the presidential elections in Azerbaijan
Statement by the Spokesperson of the European External action service on the presidential elections in Azerbaijan
«Early presidential elections took place in the Republic of Azerbaijan on 7 February. These were the first elections held across the entire territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan. President Ilham Aliyev was re-elected for his fifth term in office.
The European Union takes note of the preliminary findings and conclusions of the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission. According to the OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission, the elections took place within a restrictive political environment and under laws that curtail fundamental rights and freedoms, including freedom of assembly, expression and media.
While the preparations for the elections were efficiently managed, the stifling of critical voices and the absence of political alternatives marked the electoral process. The election day was calm and overall orderly, but the observers reported widespread disregard for mandatory procedures, a lack of transparency and numerous serious irregularities.
The European Union reiterates its expectations that the Azerbaijani authorities will take on board and implement the OSCE/ODIHR recommendations in relation to these and previous elections. The EU remains
Politics
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The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (OPHRD), a joint program of the World Organization against Torture (OMCT) and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), has called for the urgent release of activist Rufat Safarov from prison in Azerbaijan. It has launched a campaign in support of the Azerbaijani human rights defender. https://www.omct.org/en/resources/urgent-interventions/arbitrary-detention-and-judicial-harassment-against-rufat-safarov
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This year, the laureate of the annual Nargiz Prize, awarded for efforts in the fight for democracy, was Akif Gurbanov, chairman of the board of the Resplatforma (Platform of the III Republic) movement, who is under arrest.
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The U.S. will prohibit the issuing of visas for nearly a dozen more individuals responsible for undermining democracy in Georgia, bringing the total number to over 100, TURAN's Washington correspondent reports.
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The President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, has expressed condolences to the President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, following the tragic incident in the city of Magdeburg. "We are deeply shocked by the news of the deaths and injuries resulting from the tragic incident that took place at the Christmas market in Magdeburg," the message reads.
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