The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Republic of Azerbaijan and staff members observed the parliamentary elections

One of the main activities of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan is to ensure and protect the electoral rights of citizens.

On February 9, 2020, the Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva, staff members of the Ombudsman Office and Ganja, Sheki, Jalilabad and Guba Regional Centers observed parliamentary elections in 360 polling stations of 62 election constituencies, including military units, pre-trial detention facilities and penitentiary facilities in the capital Baku, as well as in 40 cities and districts of the country.

The Ombudsman Sabina Aliyeva carried out observation of the voting process at a number of polling stations in districts of Baku, including at the polling station organized in Azerbaijan High Military School named after Heydar Aliyev. She visited the administrative building of the Yasamal Second Constituency Election Commission # 16, which is supplied with modern equipment, information and communication technologies, web cameras and met with the members of the commission, learned about the general situation regarding the elections and made proposals and recommendations. The Commissioner then met with members of the Precinct Election Commissions, local and international observers, as well as the voters, and received relevant information about the voting process.

At the end of every hour, the information was received from the staff members of the Ombudsman Office observing the election process in various parts of the country and the situation related to the election process and ensuring the voters’ rights were remained in the focus of attention.

It was observed that voters actively participated in elections, as well as observers representing political parties and non-governmental organizations, also neutral and international observers took part in the process in mutual respect and fulfilled their responsibilities within the scope of their competences. No cases of intervention by any state body, representatives of executive power authority or police officers were encountered in the course of the monitoring process.

Citizens’ voting rights were ensured, proper conditions were created for persons with disabilities, elderly and persons suffering from different diseases to exercise their voting rights. It was observed that the polling stations were provided with chip-reader devices for reading the new generation ID cards of voters. Further, the Central Election Commission installed web cameras at a number of polling stations, and created real conditions for the election observation.

However, some infringements not affecting the results of the elections were observed and were eliminated by addressing the chairman of the Constituency and Precinct Election Commissions respectively, and the Central Election Commission was informed about those issues.

The appeal received by the Ombudsman’s hotline on the election day were investigated on the spot, and appropriate steps were taken in accordance with law.

Conducting the parliamentary election under the Constitution, Election Code and international standards aimed to reaffirm the commitment of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the principles of legal and democratic state-building, ensuring human rights and strengthening national traditions of statehood.