Azeri election body wants opposition party to refrain from insults in campaign

Text of report by Azerbaijani TV on 25th October

[Presenter] Dear viewers, here is a statement by the Central Electoral Commission of the Azerbaijani Republic. The statement says:

Under Article 67-1 of the law on elections to the Milli Majlis [parliament] of the Azerbaijani Republic, the media cannot be abused during conduct of the election campaign. Calls to seize power by force, to change the constitutional power by force and to destroy the country's territorial integrity and statements offending the dignity and honour of citizens are unacceptable in election programmes, meetings, in propaganda materials published in the media and in the election campaign broadcasts

of registered candidates, political parties and political blocs. Propaganda of social, racial, national and religious discrimination and other cases prohibited by law cannot be used in the media and other forms of propaganda.

Chairman of the Party for National Independence of Azerbaijan [PNIA] Etibar Mammadov, who made an election campaign broadcast on Azerbaijani State Television Channel One on 24th October, used offensive slogans that did not conform to election ethics instead of presenting his party's political programme to voters, thus violating the rules for conducting an election campaign. In his speech he described Azerbaijan as a state supported by armed bandits and called on voters to show intolerance, disobedience and other illegal actions against the state. Besides, Etibar Mammadov insulted members of the ruling party and used offensive expressions in describing refugees and forced migrants who live in tough conditions.

The Central Electoral Commission of the Azerbaijani Republic calls on the PNIA to comply with generally accepted, modern ethical norms for conducting an election campaign during its election campaign and asks it to avoid statements insulting and offending dignity and honour.

An election campaign in the Azerbaijani Republic cannot be directed against statehood and the constitutional basis of the state and cannot be used to spread and propagate social and national enmity and conflicts.

I should note that this was a statement by the Central Electoral Commission of the Azerbaijani Republic.

Source: Azerbaijani TV, Channel One, Baku, in Azeri 1500 gmt 25 Oct 00

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Posted October 27, 2000 © Eurasianet
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