HOT LINE REPORT N1 September 30-October 10, 2000
Electoral Violations Reported to the Azerbaijan Electoral Rights Protection Hotline

On October 4, SOS- 938397 Hotline has received 4 reports.

1. Ali-Bayramli- the candidacy of Zakir Mammadov, chairman of the Liberal Democrat Party of Azerbaijan [LDPA] nominated from Ali-Bayramli election district no.29, was not registered. In the words of Mammadov, the REC has checked his 2,300 signatures for 3 hours, and declared 1,900 of them invalid. After the dissatisfaction of Mammadov’s representatives, REC has again checked his signatures and these time 407 signatures were declared invalid. Mammadov has claimed to re-check those 407 signatures. The working group of the REC has gone to the corresponding addresses together with the representatives of the LDPA and re-checked them. Each of the voters living in 7 addresses were confirmed their signatures in support of Mammadov. On seeing that the results of this check are at a favor of Zakir Mammadov, the working group has stopped the checking. But later, Mammadov has received the decision of the REC on being 407 of his signatures as invalid. Even 7 signatures, which were exacted right during the checking, were not withdrawn among the invalid signatures. Mammadov intends to hold a press conference in connection with the issue.

2. Binagadi- Nishat Ismailov being forwarded from the 2^nd Binagadi election district no.22 has stated that his electoral rights were roughly violated. Ismailov has stressed that the working group of the REC has considered false 60 voters’ signatures collected for his defense without having any ground. Afterwards, there was held checking at the 2^nd stage and issued a decision on not registering Nishat Ismailov’s candidacy. Some members of the REC have refused to approve this decision. Even was not taken into consideration the suggestion of Ismailov on checking the rightness of his signatures corresponding the legislature. The REC has also violated 43-16^th item of the electoral law and refused to present a copy of the given decision to the candidate. The decision adopted on September 30 has been presented to the candidate only on October 3. On October 4, Ismailov has appealed to the chairman of the CEC Mazahir Panahov, and R. Minayev, an OSCE observer in the CEC, in connection with that decision. It is notable that Ismailov is not a member of any party.

3. Sumgait- the signatures of Tahir Aliev, former chairman of the State Customs Committee nominated from the Sumgait election district no.38, were announced invalid. It is notable that the alternative of Aliev is Fikrat Sadikhov, MP, president of the "Azerkimya" State Company. The supporters of Tahir Aliev intend to hold a picket in front of the REC building protests the illegalities against Aliev.

4. Lankaran- the candidacy of Hajibaba Azimov, chairman of the Party of National Unity [PNU] nominated from Lankaran election district no.35 was not registered. Stating the bias position of the LEC against him before Azimov said that some part of the collected signatures was checked secretly. In his words, 9 of the checked 100 signatures were declared invalid. But 7 signature lists were considered unreliable for being written the date wrong. Azimov noted that this mistake could be changed according to the legislation. In his words, the CEC has illegally approved the decision of the LEC, as well. Azimov has stated that he will apply to the Court of Appeal in connection with the issue, and said that his supporters support him.

On October 5, SOS- 938397 DER has received 8 reports.

QUESTIONING

1. Baku- Najafov Elmir Aga oglu has forwarded his candidacy from Nizami-Khatai election district no.13. Since the candidate does not satisfy with the decision of the REC, Najafov intends to apply both to the CEC and Court of Appeal. Najafov has called the Line in connection with issue and asked for a legal assistance. The colleagues of the Line have given him corresponding instructions.

ILLEGALITIES

2. Qazakh- the candidacy of Vagif Samadoglu (Vekilov), people’s poet nominated from Qazakh election district no.59, was not registered. His signatures were declared invalid. Camadoglu has not applied to the court for not expecting an objective decision form the court. On October 5, the CEC has considered the complaint of Samadoglu and his candidacy was registered.
3. Baku- Maharram Aliev nominated from the 2^nd Nasimi election district no.27 has complied on the illegalities at the DEC. in his words, the chairman of the REC Agabala Guliev has based not on the existing laws, but on his personal opinion and orders given from above in his activity. Aliev has stated that there were made unjust against him in all the stages of the electoral process. As, he has not been previously given any information about the checking of his signatures. The working group composed of non-professional persons has illegally declared invalid the signatures under the direct leadership of the REC chairman Guliev. 92 signatures, which were withdrawn from the list beforehand, have been again declared invalid signatures. And 154 signatures were declared invalid under the name of other reasons, but they were not explained. On counting at the final document, another 22 signatures were written against the candidate. As a result, 348 signatures of the candidate Aliev were considered invalid, and the REC has refused to register him. Besides all of these, chairman of the REC Guliev has refused to present the opinion of the commission on the checking of his signatures to Aliev. Aliev has applied to the CEC in connection with the happened illegalities.
4. Hajigabul- Miryusif Manafov, a poet, member of the Writers’ Union nominated from Hajigabul-Salyan election district no.94, has withdrawn his candidacy. In the words of Manafov, before the beginning of the initial stage of the electoral campaign, Agababa Gasimov, head of Hajigabul region’s authorities, has pressured on the candidates. Gasimov is using of all possibilities for electing Abutalib Samadov, chairman of the Party of Alliance for the Sake of Azerbaijan [PASA]. As a protest of illegal acts of the head of the region’s authorities and activity of Khanlar Mammadov, chairman of the REC, on the basis of orders of the local authorities, Manafov has withdrawn his candidacy. These facts are shown in the application of Manafov addressed to the chairman of the REC, as well. But the chairman of the REC has not adopted the application.

It is notable that Khanhusein Aliev, chairman of the media distribution "Gaya", has nominated his candidacy from that district, as well. Aliev has complied on the illegalities made by the REC and stated that the commission is acting at a favor of Samadov.

5. Sumgait- the candidacy of Matlab Mutallimli, MP, chairman of the Party of Social Justice nominated from Sumgait election district no. 39, was not registered. His signatures were declared invalid. The candidacy of only one alternative of Mutallimli of 6- Khidir Alioglu’s, chairman of Sumgait branch of YAP, and was registered. Mutallimli has stated that the incident between him and Vagif Aliev, chairman of the Political Council of YAP, being a teacher at the Sumgait city Technical secondary school at some point, and presently a chairman of the DEC, has shown itself just in that stage. The MP thinks that all the happened illegalities are controlled by the president’s office. Mutallimli has stated that he will apply to the court in connection with the issue.
6. Baku- on October 3, the signature lists of Murshud Mammadli, member of the Musavat’s Board nominated from Nasimi election district no. 27, have been checked. 350 of the collected signatures in support of Mammadli’s candidacy were announced invalid. The reason is shown as noting wrong the date of signing. In Mammadli’s words, the factor that prevents his election is that the ruling circles are supporting the candidacy of general Timoshenco in that district. Mammadli has stated that even though he does not believe the independence of the court systems, he will apply to the court.
7. Baku- the candidacy of Haji Amirulla, chairman of the regional branch of the Popular Front nominated from Azizbeyov election district no.18, was not registered. The reason is shown as 46 of the collected signatures in support of the candidate were repeated, 23 are given with an unreliable document. Haji Amirulla has stressed that those, whose signatures were considered as repeated, have confirmed their signatures, but they were not taken into consideration this fact. He applied to the CEC in connection with all illegalities, but the case is not considered, yet. Haji Amirulla also added that two representatives of the Popular Front at the DEC has resigned from their posts as protest, and only 3 YAP members were registered. Stating that all the processes happen by the interference of Gulaga Bayramov, head of the region’s executive power, in Haji Amirulla’s words, the government circles want electing Shayedin Aliev. Haji did not take part in the 2^nd checking. Because, neither him, nor his representatives were invited to casting lots for electing the signature lists.
8. Shamkir- there was refused to register the candidacy of Mahir Asadov, MP from the ADP nominated from Shamkir election district no.100. Asadov has stated that REC has issued a very illegal decision. The reasons of refusal are shown as if those, who collected signatures in support of Asadov, were legal persons. Besides it, there were shown other reasons, as well. In Asadov’s words, the goal of the campaign carried out by the direct order of the head of the local government is to debar him from the elections. Asadov added that he would appeal to the CEC as soon as he receives the decision.

Another deputy from the ADP- Shamil Yusifov was not also registered. As the decision of the LEC is not presented to Yusifov yet, the candidate has not any information about the reasons of refusing the registration of his candidacy.

On October 6, SOS-938397 Hotline has received 9 reports.

ILLEGALITIES

1. Agdam - the LEC has refused to accept the documents of Nadir Assadulla oglu Ismailov, a candidate from Agdam election district no.47. he was head of the regional government of Agdam in 1992-93, and is a member of the Popular Front’s Supreme Assembly. There has been collected 2,221 signatures in support of Ismailov’s candidacy. But he presented the signature lists to the LEC on September 30-the last day for collecting the signatures, and LEC members have not accepted his documents. Ismailov stated that the members of the LEC are persons close to the local government. In his opinion, the LEC members have not accepted his documents for not allowing him to the elections by the order of the officials. He also said that he is intimidated by the persons of the local authorities. Ismailov has appealed to the CEC.

2. Baku- the LEC has refused to register the candidacy of Barat Nuriev, a candidate from Absheron election district no.46, former deputy chairman of the State Committee of Property. In the corresponding decision of the REC is stated that there is not a note about being the candidate a citizen of Azerbaijan in the documents presented by him, and the election account has been opened not in Absheron region, but in Sabail. Nuriev states these facts groundless. In his words, there was not a quorum while the LEC has adopted this decision. On October 5, the CEC has considered the complaint of Nuriev concerning the issue. In the letter of the CEC addressed to Nuriev is stated that the items of the law have been violated and the LEC has not an authority to issue a decision. In addition, the CEC has ordered the LEC to re-discuss the issue in connection with the candidacy of Nuriev in the framework of the legislation.

3. Ali-Bayramli- Yunus Oguz, chairman of the party "Vahdat", has run his candidacy from Ali-Bayramli election district no.29. The REC has considered 392 signatures collected in support of the candidate invalid, and refused to register his candidacy. On September 26, Oguz has applied to the CEC, but the CEC has not responded him yet. The general department has not looked the send documents. Oguz has stated that part of his documents presented to the CEC was taken. He said that among the taken documents was an application on the lack of quorum at the session of LEC and the protocol of the LEC.
4. Zakatala- the LEC of Zakatala election district no.66 has refused to register the candidacy of Saleh Soltanov, chairman of the local branch of the Musavat. The reason was shown as if the addresses were written wrong in the signature lists collected in support of Soltanov’s candidacy. The working group of the LEC has checked 500 signatures of Soltanov. 54 of them were declared invalid for writing the addresses wrong, and 14 for other reasons. The problem in connection with wrong addresses of Soltanov’s signatures is that several years ago, Aliabad village of Zakatala was given a settlement status. The LEC has considered inadmissible of writing "Aliabad village" in the signature lists. Soltanov stated that even in the passports of the voters their addresses are shown as "Aliabad village"... The candidate has applied to the CEC for the illegal decision of the LEC.
5. Baku- the REC has refused to register the candidacy of Azer Hasret, chairman of the Trade Union of Journalists. He is a candidate from the 1^st Khatai election district no.9. The REC has declared invalid 95 signatures of the candidate. At the 1^st stage 68 of 449 signatures and at the 2^nd 27 signatures were declared invalid. The REC has stated that the signatures were similar and in some were used from the former passport of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Hasret has protested the decision of the REC. later the REC has prepared an act on Azer Hasret, and is stated that the candidate has insulted the members of the commission and the president of the country. Calling the act of the REC as blackmail, Hasret has applied to the CEC.

ARRESTS

6. Agjabedi- on October 5, 2000, Isa Abbasov, a candidate from Agjabedi election district no.52, has been detained by the local police colleagues. It is notable that some days ago, the local officials has spread rumors on the arrest of Abbasov for making the voters to refuse of their signatures. The colleagues of the Hotline have immediately contacted with the chief of the police of Agjabedi, and Abbasov has been released after being kept for 4 hours in the station.
7. Nakhichevan- on October 5, the colleagues of the police came to the house of Yasin Rustamov, chairman of the Azerbaijan Association of Democratic Intellectuals, and wanted to take him the police station of Nakhichevan by force. The police explained its reason with the elections. In their words, as if Rustamov has threatened one of the LEC representatives with death. Rustamov has called the acts of the police as blackmail. He stated that after he has run his candidacy to the Azerbaijani parliament and Supreme Assembly of Nakhichevan Autonomous Republic, he spoke on the local media. And the authorities did not like it and decided to punish him.
8. Shamkir- Kechili village of Shamkir region and other villages close to it were surrounded by the police. All the people coming and going from the village have been interrogated by the police. The law-enforcement agencies have pressured on the voters who signed in support of the Democrat party’s members, and made them to refuse of their signatures. The members of the ADP, Eldaniz Gurbanov and Altay Hasanov have been arrested on October 4, 2000. An authoritative representative of the ADP’s deputy Mahir Asadov and his driver Gabil Mammadov have been arrested while taking the decision of the LEC to the candidate. And Elkhan Musaiev, a member of the ADP, has met with the head of the local government Soltan Mammadov, in connection with the question, and has been insulted in his office. At present, Musaiev is under search.

QUESTIONING

9. Baku- a voter Abdul Mammadov has called the SOS-938397 and asked for a legal assistance. Mammadov has asked whether it is admissible by the law to hold a pre-election campaign at the state administrations (schools, hospitals, and others). He has been given a corresponding advice.

The Reports:
September 30- October 3
October 7 - October 10

Introduction

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Posted October 19, 2000 © Eurasianet
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