Georgian law enforcement has detained an ethnic Azerbaijani in Marneuli who gained international attention through a viral video showing him stuffing a stack of ballots into a voting box, according to Shalva Papuashvili, a member of the political council of the "Georgian Dream" party and the parliament chair.
The detainee, Rovshan Iskenderov, is the deputy chair of the local municipality and a member of the ruling "Georgian Dream" party. An investigation is underway, and police will decide on Iskenderov’s future based on its results.
According to the Central Election Commission, the ruling party won the elections with 54% of the vote. However, the President of Georgia and opposition parties have declared the October 26 parliamentary elections illegal and fraudulent. Among the evidence presented, the most well-known is a video from polling station 69 in the Azerbaijani-populated Marneuli, where Iskenderov, in the presence of other election officials, can be seen casting a stack of ballots into the box.
The incident was captured on video by an observer from the "My Voice" mission, who was subsequently physically assaulted and expelled from the polling station. Former public defender Nino Lomjaria later shared the video footage online, amplifying the incident’s visibility.
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A criminal case has been initiated over violations of the law at the private medical centre ‘General Hospital’ in Garachuhur settlement of Surakhani district of Baku.
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Reports indicate that in 2023, maternal mortality related to childbirth in Azerbaijan almost doubled suddenly. The State Statistics Committee's statistical compilation, "Children in Azerbaijan," highlights that 33 maternal deaths were recorded last year, compared to 18 in 2022. This is considered the highest figure in the past 13 years. Additionally, it is noted that maternal mortality per 1,000 live births rose from 14.7 to 29.3.
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The General Prosecutor's Office has continued its crackdown on exporters of agricultural products who failed to return funds earned from overseas sales to Azerbaijan
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On October 31, the weather in Baku and on the Absheron Peninsula will be variable, with possible rain in some areas in the morning and evening. The wind will be from the northwest, shifting to the southeast in the afternoon. Nighttime temperatures will range from +9 to +13 degrees Celsius, while daytime temperatures will reach +15 to +20 degrees. Humidity will be 80-90% at night and 70-75% during the day.
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