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HOT LINE REPORT N4
October 24-28, 2000
Electoral Violations Reported to the Azerbaijan Electoral
Rights Protection Hotline
On October 24, 2000, SOS-938397 Hotline has received
4 reports.
ILLEGALITIES
1. Khatai district- the REC has refused
to register the candidacy of Janmirza Mirzaiev, a candidate
from Khatai election district no.3. It is notable that Prof.
Mirzaiev is an independent candidate. The REC has shown its
reason as using of the former passport of the "Citizen
of Azerbaijan Republic" and Form No.9. While Mirzaiev
has made a complaint to the CEC on the decision of the REC
11 days before, the CEC has not responded him, yet. The unregistered
candidate has applied to the Khatai district Court, as well.
The court has declared reliable some of the signatures that
the REC has declared invalid. Nevertheless, the court has
stated that the signatures have to be re-checked. The trial
has been postponed because of the lack of expert’s opinion
on the results of the checking.
2. Baku- on October 23, 2000, the
hotline has received a report from the election headquarter
of the ADP [Democrat Party of Azerbaijan]. The report says
that all the police stations of Baku have been ordered to
take and tear the election placards of the ADP. And in Ganja
City, the police department has stated the necessity of getting
a special permission from the local government for distribution
of the party’s posters. There have not been allowed to hang
the placards of the ADP in Ganja by the order of the chairman
of the local branch of the ruling party of Yeni Azerbaijan
[YAP], chairman of the Railway Department, and district inspector.
3. Baku- Sirus Tebrizli, former minister
of Press and Information, a candidate from the majoritarian
election district, has violated the election law. Tebrizli
has stated the platform of the YAP that he represents on TV.
Thus, according to the law "On the elections to Milli
Mejlis", it is not allowed the candidates from the majoritarian
system to speak on the name of the party.
4. Sabunchu district- the REC has
refused to register the candidacy of Bakhtiyar Akbarov, a
candidate from Sabunchu election district no.15. Akbarov is
a lawyer, and was a member of the state commission that prepares
the draft of the Constitution. It is notable that Akbarov
is a member of the YAP. In his words, the REC has not shown
ground reasons for refusing to register his candidacy. Akbarov
has appealed to the district court in connection with the
happened illegalities. The court has kept in force the decision
of the REC.
On October 25, 2000, SOS-938397 Hotline
has received 3 reports.
ILLEGALITIES
1. Ismailli- according to the report
of the Ismailli branch of the Party Musavat, all the election
placards of the party have been torn in the region. The report
says that Vagif Rahimov, head of the local government, has
ordered taking the election placards of the Musavat. V. Rahimov,
a close relative of Vagif Rahimov, has headed this action.
2. Baku- a voter Maarif Maharramov
has called the hotline and reported that there has been hanged
the election placards only of one party- the YAP in Binagadi
village. And the election placards of the oppositional parties
have been torn just on the day of hanging them. Maharramov
said that 5 election placards of the YAP have been hanged
on the door of the secondary high school no.179, and stated
that electors are protesting against the illegalities.
3. Baku- Kavus Panahi, a voter from
Yasamal election district no.7, has reported about the illegalities
in the district to the hotline. Panahi has stated that the
call-up papers to the elections have been sending only half
of his family members. As Panahi went to the election station
but did not find anybody at the station and asked the papers
from the REC. Here he knew that there has been put the name
of his father that died 20 years ago to the electors’ lists.
Panahi met with the chairman of the REC in connection with
the question and the chairman has insulted him in his office.
Panahi has appealed to the CEC in connection with the illegalities.
On October 26, 2000, SOS-938397 Hotline
has received 4 reports.
ILLEGALITIES
1. Shamakhi- the REC has refused to
register the candidacy of Mehbali Abdulrahimov, a candidate
from Shamakhi-Agsu election district no.98. Abdulrahimov has
stated that his signature lists have been changed. In his
words, the REC has been ordered from above on the refusal
of registering his candidacy. Abdulrahimov is an editor-in-chief
of the magazine "For the law" published in the region.
He stated that he has information about all the illegalities
happened in the region. In his opinion, the main reasons of
his refusal was jus this fact. Abdulrahimov is going to make
a complaint to the court.
2. Ordubad- Mehdi Mehdiev, who wanted
to forward his candidacy from Vanand election district no.44,
has not been given signature lists. In the words of Mehdiev,
Ophelia Mammadova, chairwoman of the REC, has refused to give
the signature lists and told him to get permission from the
local authorities. Mehdiev has appealed to the CEC and court
of Nakhichevan in connection with the illegalities. But he
could not get any response from any of the organizations.
Later Mehdiev has appealed to the CEC, Supreme Court, and
Constitutional Court of the Azerbaijan Republic, but could
not get any response, yet.
3. Qusar- the rights of Ilham Murtuzaliev,
who wanted to forward his candidacy from Qusar election district
no.65, have been violated. Murtuzaliev is a member of municipality,
and represents the Social Democrat Party of Azerbaijan [SDPA].
The REC has delayed giving him a reference for opening his
banking account. While Murtuzaliev has appealed to the Qusar
district court, his complaint has not been considered, yet.
He has appealed to the CEC, as well. The CEC has informed
him that the REC has been ordered on giving the reference,
but the REC has not given it again. The CEC has not responded
the appeal of Murtuzaliev in written form. That is why, Murtuzaliev
intends to bring an action against the CEC.
QUESTIONING
4. Shusha- Shunasi Babaiev, a voter
from Shusha-Khojali-Khojavend election district no.41, has
called the hotline and asked whether the CEC should give a
certification or reference to the observers appointed by the
candidates and political parties to the election stations.
Babaiev has been given corresponding legal instructions.
On October 27, 2000, SOS-938397 Hotline
has received 6 reports.
ILLEGALITIES
1. Goranboy- the REC has refused to
register the candidacy of Arif Mammadov, a candidate from
Goranboy-Naftalan election district no.74. Since the Goranboy
district court has not considered his complaint, Mammadov
has applied to the Court of Appeal. Mammadov has stated that
the international observers have observed the course of the
trial, as well. The opposite side stated that 32 voters have
send letters to the REC on giving signatures, wrongly, to
the REC. As if, those voters knew that Mammadov was a member
of the YAP and signed for him. The judge Gurban Abbasov has
openly stated in the court that he could not be registered,
as he is not a member of the authorities. And the judge has
told the translator not to translate it for the international
observers. The Court of Appeal has kept in force the decision
of the REC. When Mammadov has protested the unjust decision,
the police have taken out him by the order of the judge. In
the words of Mammadov, they wanted to arrest him. And after
the interference of the international observers, he has been
released.
2. Baku- according to the report of
the election headquarter of Sardar Jalaloglu, secretary general
of the party, has been made obstacles to meet with his voters.
Since on October 27, 2000, the MP Ilham Aliev has hold a meeting
with his electors in Yevlakh region, Yevlakh part of the Baku-Qazakh
route has been closed for the cars. For that reason, Jalaloglu
could not go to the meeting.
3. Salyan- Vidadi Adigozelli, deputy
chairman of the local branch of the Musavat, has been arrested
for hanging the election placard of the party in his car.
On October 25, 2000, the police colleagues have stopped the
car of Adigozelli and firstly, ordered him to take off the
placard. They have stated it is an order of the police chief.
When Adigozelli refused, he has been arrested and taken to
the police station. There has been held a trial on that evening
and Adigozelli has been charged with 5 days of imprisonment.
Jamal Maharramli, chairman of the regional branch of the party,
has said that the trial has been kept secret. It is notable
that Adigozelli is an authoritative representative of the
Musavat at the REC. Maharramli has also stated that all the
campaign placards and posters of the Musavat have been taken
from the streets in the region. The local branch of the Musavat
has spread a statement on the happened illegalities.
4. Baku- on October 27, 2000, the
press secretariat of the ADP has given report to the hotline.
In the report is stated that there have been made illegal
obstacles to the election campaign of the ADP in some provinces
of the republic. The report says that the campaign placards
of the ADP are taken in Salyan, Masalli, Lankaran, and Imishli
regions of the republic by the order of the local authorities.
It is also stated that the police have intimidated Bahruz
Mammadov, a candidate of the ADP. Ilgar Hamidov, a police
colleague, has come to the house of Mammadov in Baku together
with several persons in civil form and ordered him to take
the campaign placards of the ADP hanged in front of his building.
5. Jalilabad- there have been made
serious illegalities at Jalilabad election district no.96.
The local branch of the Musavat Party has given this report
to the hotline. The report says that the signatures collected
from that district for Ali Huseinov, assistant chairman of
the parliament Murtuz Alaskarov, are invalid. The names at
the signature lists have been filled on the basis of the lists
given by the local authorities. The signature lists have been
signed by a group of persons without informing the voters.
The collected signature lists have been signed by Mirsuleyman
Mirkhasli, a state official, and Agasaf Bunyadov, member of
the Jalilabad city municipality, as a responsible persons.
And it is against the Article 41.1 of the law "On the
elections to Milli Mejlis". The working group has not
checked the invalid signature sheets and Allahshukur Mammadov,
chairman of the REC, had presented Huseinov a certification
of registration his candidacy by the order of the local government
officials. In connection with these illegalities 3 authoritative
members of the REC- a secretary Gani Mammadov, members Alimusa
Akbarov and Alisafa Khosiev had made a complaint to the CEC,
but have not got any reply, yet.
- according to the report of the Musavat’s
local branch, all the campaign placards have been taken in
Jalilabad city. The party leadership has made a written complaint
to Allahshukur Mammadov, chairman of the Jalilabad REC no.96,
and local police department, but has not got any reply. The
Musavat members Akif Abishov, a representative of the local
government, had taken, by force, from them the campaign placards
and torn them while they were hanging the placards of the
party at the Uzuntepe village station of the Jalilabad election
district no.97. The report also says that another representative
of the local government Mammadaga Pashaiev had not allowed
the Musavat members hanging the campaign placards of the party
at the Uchtepe village election stations of the Jalilabad
city election district no.96.
On October 28, 2000, SOS-938397 Hotline
has received 4 reports.
ILLEGALITIES
1. Qakh- Ayyub Kerimov, a lawyer,
editor-in-chief of the newspaper "Phemida", and
candidate from Qakh-Zakatala election district no.60, is pressured.
The leadership of the local government does not allow Kerimov
to meet with his voters. According to the report of Kerimov’s
election office, while there have been planned a meeting with
his voters in Qakh region on October 27, 2000, that ceremony
has not taken place with the interference of the local government
officials. A people's poet Bakhtiyar Vahabzade had to take
part in the meeting, as well. On learning that Vahabzade will
come to the meeting Khayam Mammadov, head of the local government,
had prohibited holding this meeting.
2. Baku- Aydin Heidarov, a member
of the YAP, president of the "Intervato" joint-stock
company, and candidate form the 2nd Binagadi election
district no.22, has threatened with death another candidate
from that district Nazir Ahmadli, a member of the National
Independence Party [NIP]. The reason of the incident was taking
the campaign placards of Heidarov by the members of Ahmadli’s
campaign placards. On October 27, 2000, at 17.00PM Heidarov
has insulted Ahmadli at the office of the chief of the Binagadi
district police station, and threatened him with death before
the lawyers and chief of the station. Ahmadli has appealed
to the prosecutor general of the republic and minister of
internal affairs for providing his security.
3. Baku- according to the report of
the Musavat’s press secretariat, the campaign placards of
the party are either torn or taken in the streets of the city.
On October 27, 2000, a group of unknown persons have taken
and torn the placards of the Musavat in the streets near the
Tazapir mosque and other streets. The reports states that
the group has been accompanied by a car no. 10 AA 168 that
belongs to the State Traffic Police.
And in Surakhani district, Faramaz Suleymanov,
a representative of the local government on Garachukhur settlement,
has personally taken part in taking of the Musavat’s placards.
QUESTIONING
4. Astara- a voter Vugar Ibrahimov
has called the hotline and asked whether the law allows hanging
the campaign materials at the state-owned enterprises or not/
the voter has been given corresponding legal instructions.
Introduction
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Posted October 19, 2000 © Eurasianet
http://www.eurasianet.org
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