In Azerbaijan, public organizations prepare "Map of Public Monitoring" for presidential election

On the eve of the presidential election, in Azerbaijan, the project "Map of Public Monitoring" is created, with the help of which voters will be able to report violations committed during the pre-election campaign and during the voting itself. This was reported by Anar Mamedli, one of the organizers of the project.

The project is being implemented by the public organizations "Centre for Monitoring Elections and Democracy Training" (CMEDT) and the Democratic School of Journalism (DSJ).

The project will be the first experience of that kind in electoral practice in Azerbaijan. This was told to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by Anar Mamedli, Chairman of the CMEDT. The project is aimed to "increase public control over the compliance of the election campaign and the election with the national legislation and international democratic standards."

Anar Mamedli has reported that with the help of the "Map of Public Monitoring", the voters will be able to send to the unified point via SMS-messages and e-mail the information available to them about the violations recorded in the pre-election period, on the election day and during the counting of votes, including photo and video materials.

All incoming information will be graphically displayed on an electronic map of Azerbaijan and recorded into the database. "It is not an expert, but a public monitoring that covers complaints of citizens, their needs and concerns," Anar Mamedli has clarified.

According to his statement, the incoming information will be used by parties concerned in filing complaints about violations to election commissions and courts.

The Chairman of the CMEDT has stated that the project does not support any political party or group and is aimed at increasing public control over the election and improving the transparency.

Anar Mamedli has emphasized that at present, the authors of the project are preparing the public presentation of the "Map of Public Monitoring".

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that the following persons are going to take part in the election of the President of Azerbaijan to be held in October: the incumbent Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliev, supported by the ruling party; Rustam Ibragimbekov, the Chairman of the oppositional National Council of Democratic Forces (NCDF); Isa Gambar, the leader of the "Musavat" Party; Ilgar Mamedov, the leader of the movement "Republican Alternative" (ReAl), who is kept in custody; and Arastun Orudjlu, the head of the "East-West" Research Centre.