Serious shortcomings and violations in many aspects took place at the referendum on September 26 on constitutional amendments, reads the declaration of the public association "Civil Society Platform." Of the 29 proposed amendments to the Constitution, 14 are directly concerned its third section. However, the Article 155 of the Constitution states that the rights and freedoms stipulated in the third section of the Constitution may not be put to a referendum for the purpose of limitation, said the statement.
Overall, the referendum act in many ways contradicted the very Constitution of Azerbaijan and international treaties of the country. In particular, the restrictions concern property rights, citizenship, association and appeals, freedom of information and economic activity.
Amendments form new relationships that cause damage to the principle of separation of powers, of belittling the status of parliament and MPs. The very haste of the referendum does not correspond to democratic principles and traditions.
The campaign took place under limited opportunities for the opposition. Campaign group of the party "Musavat" faced pressure from the authorities. At the same time, the party was not registered on trumped-up pretexts. In addition, because of the pressure campaign group of REAL Movement was forced to stop its activities.
The National Council of Democratic Forces, which includes the Popular Front Party announced the boycott of the referendum, and from the very beginning announced its intention to hold protests. However, even the participants of the agreed rallies were subjected to pressure - they were summoned to the police, detention and administrative arrest. The campaign took place in an atmosphere of absence of debate on TV. Even at the Public Television was not pre-election debates.
On election day, there were mass violations of the law with the participation of members of election commissions, which are on videos.
As usual, the authorities used "carousels" technology, issuing ballots to unauthorized persons, and the absence of independent local and international observers, facilitated the process. At the same time, the revealed violations have not been investigated by superior election commissions or prosecutors. This gives reason to believe that the process is managed centrally. In view of the above, the CSP does not consider free and fair referendum, and said that its results do not reflect the will of the people.
The CSP stated with regret that because the Referendum Act is contrary to democratic legal principles the local and international community questioned its legitimacy.-06D--
Politics
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Under the agreement between Azerbaijan and the European Union on the readmission of persons residing without permission, 37 Azerbaijani citizens were returned from Germany on November 26.
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Six people died on the evening of November 27 as a result of a collision between two cars on a section of the Baku-Gazakh highway passing through the Tovuz region.
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Official Baku has condemned the visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to the Azerbaijan-Armenia border during his official visit to Armenia. "The visit of Polish President Andrzej Duda to the to Armenia-Azerbaijan border area in the company of members of the EU Mission in Armenia (EUMA), unfortunately, is another demonstration of anti-Azerbaijani policy of different EU member countries and European institutions. We deeply regret that President of the country which is officially a “strategic partner” of Azerbaijan has participated in the unacceptable diplomatic “binocular show” leading to the aggravation of relations between Azerbaijan and Poland,”" reads the statement on the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ account on X (formerly Twitter).
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According to the “Times of India”, the first batch of “Pinaka” missile systems has been delivered to Armenia.
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