Observer Report
Baku/Azerbaijan
Following an official invitation from the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan, ODIHR (OSCE Office for Democatic Institutions and Human Rights) has deployed an Election Observation Mission (EOM) for the 9 February early parliamentary elections, an Azerbaijan bulletin says Sunday.
The ODIHR EOM, headed by Ambassador Peter Tejler, consists of 12 international experts based in Baku. In addition, 30 long-term observers have been requested from OSCE participating States, to be deployed throughout the country from 14 January 2020.
The mission will assess the early parliamentary elections for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation. Observers will follow voter registration, candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, implementation of the legislative framework, the media environment, and the resolution of election-related disputes. As part of the observation, the EOM will conduct a comprehensive monitoring of the media.
Election day: ODIHR will request 350 short-term observers to be deployed prior to the 9 February elections. The short-term observers will be deployed throughout the country in multinational teams of two to monitor the opening of polling stations, the voting, the counting of ballots, and the tabulation of results.
The day after the election, ODIHR, together with its partners, will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.
Meanwhile, The Azerbaijan snap parliamentary polls scheduled for Feb 9, 2020, have become a world focus as the exercise will be observed by international observers including representatives from Council of Europe and from Pakistan as well. The people of Azerbaijan are keenly eyeing their voters participatory enthusiasm.
International observers are converging in capital Baku here to have a pre-election fair preparations. The Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan has actively finalized the arrangements to ensure free vote in the polls.
A media team comprising senior journalists from Pakistan is slated to reach Baku by Feb 5, 2020 on the invitation of the government of Azerbaijan. The team will be watching the electoral process in the capital and outside of it.
