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AZERBAIJAN ELECTION WATCH 

The statement of the Musavat Party

About nine thousand commission members with deliberative votes and observers of the Musavat Party took part in the elections to the Parliament of the Republic of Azerbaijan, which was held on November 5. 25-35 percent of the citizens enrolled to the election lists voted in the elections. But the present administration has falsified the number of electors, who have take part in the elections, with the help of the members of the election commissions and police by using evidence and raised this number to 70 percent. The number of electors have been in fact twice falsified by increasing the number of election bulletins in favor of the ruling New Azerbaijan Party. Nevertheless, according to over 1000 records, which the Central Election Headquarters of the Musavat Party has obtained the Musavat Party, has gained more than 30 percent of votes. In reality the Musavat Party has received over 50 percent of votes and won the elections.

According to the joint inquiry held by the Influential "Turan" News Agency and the "Adam" sociological inquiry centre on the day of election in front of the polling stations the Musavat Party has left the New Azerbaijan Party behind. 26 percent of the inquired citizens who have left the polling stations have answered that they have voted for the Musavat Party, 23 percent for the New Azerbaijan Party. It must be taken into consideration that hall of the inquired, electors who vote in favor of the opposition, conceal their views being afraid of persecution.

After the announcement of the preliminary results of elections the present administration banned the election commissions to give the copies of records understanding that they have lost the elections. Grossly violating the election law the police have driven out the commission members of the Musavat Party and its observers from the polling stations by using force. Police has detained about 100 representatives of the Musavat Party on the day of election, three candidates to the parliament being among them. The process of entry of election records to the County Election Commissions from the polling stations has been stopped, false records have been compiled with the participation of the representatives of the executive power. Such violations have been observed in more than 90 percent of polling stations, which make us, doubt the results of elections. We have information at our disposal when in many polling stations the representatives of the administration have attempted to bribe the members of election commissions in polling stations in order to gain their favor. One of such facts has been recorded by video camera and demonstrated by the mass media. In rurals (in Beylagan ,Barda, etc.) the lights have been disconnected at 17 o’clock as in the past times and the votes have not been counted. We have collected information on making completely falsified election records in the said rurals. In many polling stations the counting of votes has been interrupted, the results have not legalized in documents and announced, thus committing a gross violation of the law.

Such a situation, which is approved by innumerable facts, shows that as it was declared before the elections the regime of Heydar Aliyev seizes the power again by new falsified elections. The will of the nation is trampled before the eyes of the world and Azerbaijan public.

The Musavat Party declares that it is impossible to recognize the results of these elections which have been companied by total falsification, the parliament, which is formed by the Heydar Aliyev regime against the will of the nation, can not be regarded as a legitimate parliament. The illegitimate parliament may restrain the political situation in Azerbaijan and cause political shocks and social explosions. The Musavat Party declares that it has won the elections of November 5 unconditionally, it will not reconcile with the violence of the ruling regime, continue its struggle for a legitimate parliament through free, just and democratic elections and do its best for the protection of the Constititional rights of the citizens of Azerbaijan in future, too.

November 6, 2000

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Posted November 6, 2000 © Eurasianet
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The Central Eurasia Project aims, through its website, meetings, papers, and grants, to foster a more informed debate about the social, political and economic developments of the Caucasus and Central Asia. It is a program of the Open Society Institute-New York. The Open Society Institute-New York is a private operating and grantmaking foundation that promotes the development of open societies around the world by supporting educational, social, and legal reform, and by encouraging alternative approaches to complex and controversial issues.

The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the position of the Open Society Institute and are the sole responsibility of the author or authors.
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