PACE: in Azerbaijan, presidential candidates are in unequal conditions

The Azerbaijan's authorities have not considered all of the recommendations of the Council of Europe (CoE) structures to ensure democratic freedoms. This was stated by members of the pre-election observation mission of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), which visited the country on September 10-13.

The statement made by the members of the delegation, received by the "Caucasian Knot", reports that the upcoming election "seems to take place in a competitive environment." Meanwhile, according to the opinion of the authors of statement, the lack of "equivalent rivals to the incumbent President has led to a lack of major national debates."

The members of the PACE mission also believe that the frequent presence of Ilham Aliev to the media justifying by "performance of the functions of the President," put the other competitors in disadvantaged conditions.

The mission emphasizes that many of the recommendations contained in the reports and resolutions of the PACE were not implemented. This applies particularly to the recommendations concerning freedom of expression, assembly and association, and functioning of pluralist democracy.

In their turn, representatives of the opposition are sceptical about the PACE's role in ensuring democratic election.

Ali Kerimli, the leader of the Popular Front Party of Azerbaijan (PFPA), treats the delegation's statement as "smoothed" and the criticism of the problems as "levelled to the general vague phrases."

Ali Kerimli believes that, in particular, the statement fails to reflect the ban for rallies in the centre of Baku, the increased number of political prisoners, the campaign of persecution of opposition politicians and journalists, and the authorities' complete control over the election commissions.