Le communiqué du State Department (10/10/2013) sur l'élection présidentielle en Azerbaïdjan…

Simplicissimus 14/10/2013

Le communiqué du State Department (10/10/2013) sur l’élection présidentielle en Azerbaïdjan

Azerbaijan Presidential Election
▻http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2013/10/215283.htm

The United States continuously urged the Government of Azerbaijan to ensure a free and fair electoral process and to respect the freedoms of assembly, association, and speech. It is with regret that we conclude this election fell short of international standards.
The OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (OSCE/ODIHR) and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly highlighted in their October 10 preliminary statement serious shortcomings that need to be addressed in order for Azerbaijan to fully meet its OSCE commitments. The United States agrees with this assessment and shares OSCE concerns. Other credible non-government organizations such as the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center reported similar shortcomings. On election day, procedural irregularities were observed including: 1) ballot box stuffing; 2) serious problems with vote counting; and 3) failure to record the number of received ballots. Leading up to election day, the Government of Azerbaijan also maintained a repressive political environment. Authorities interfered with the media and civil society routinely, sometimes violently interrupted peaceful rallies and meetings before and occasionally during the campaign period, and jailed a number of opposition and youth activists.
At the same time, the United States notes the comments in the OSCE statement on constructive steps taken by the Government of Azerbaijan during the election campaign, including the successful registration of Jamil Hasanli and certain other opposition candidates, authorization of some opposition campaign rallies, the decision to invite the OSCE to observe the election, and efficient technical preparation for the election.
Democracy is more than one election. The United States urges the Government of Azerbaijan to respect the freedoms of peaceful assembly, association, and speech. We urge restraint and avoidance of violence by all in the post electoral period. We remain committed to supporting the people of Azerbaijan and working with the Government to further efforts to achieve Azerbaijan’s full potential as a stable, prosperous, and democratic member of the international community.

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Simplicissimus 14/10/2013

Et la réponse de la présidence (ainsi qu’au communiqué de l’OSCE (cf. ▻http://seenthis.net/messages/184543 ). (14/10/2013)

Azerbaijani people expressed their will in election : Top official - AzerNews
▻http://www.azernews.az/azerbaijan/60608.html

Position of the U.S. Department of State on the presidential election held in Azerbaijan on October 9 is in contrast with justice and doesn`t reflect the reality.
Deputy Head of Azerbaijan`s Presidential Administration, head of the foreign relations department Novruz Mammadov made the remark when commenting on statements by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the U.S. Department of State concerning the presidential election in the country.
“It shows that the ODIHR along with the U.S. consider democracy and issues of human rights as their monopoly, using it according in their own interests,” he said. But now its clear that making democracy and the issues of human rights a tool of pressure doesnt produce good results. There are tens of instances on the international scene.
Mammadov said that the Azerbaijani presidential election does not fall behind elections in other countries, and is even better in terms of many parameters.
"Given that the USA and OSCE ODIHR have made subjective judgments of the elections in several other countries, which were marred by serious violations and irregularities, their biased position causes surprise. Those who consider democracy an important value must themselves set an example to others by acting in line with democratic principles.
“Interestingly about 1,500 observers from 98 countries and 48 international organizations, including the PACE, European Parliament, the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), TurkPA election observation mission, as well as the majority of independent foreign observers made positive remarks on the election. But for some reason this issue is not featured in the statement of the U.S. Department of State, whose unequivocal critical statement stands in total contrast to views of ordinary people-elected U.S. congressmen, senators and representatives of other elective bodies, who hailed the election process in Azerbaijan as fair and transparent,” he said.

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