OSCE mission claims people forced to attend election campaign rallies in Azerbaijan

The election campaign of Azerbaijani presidential candidates continues in deteriorating atmosphere. Media pay attention to the incumbent President rather than the other presidential candidates, and in some districts of the country, some cases of hindering the election campaign of presidential candidates occurred. This was noted at the second interim report of the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission at the presidential election in Azerbaijan.

The report published on October 2 covers the campaign period of September 13-26. In total, the election campaign has been continued in a quiet channel; however, the atmosphere has been deteriorated in connection of abuse of family members of some politicians, the report states.

The OSCE/ODIHR observation mission has monitored 21 election campaign events in support of candidates, including 17 campaigning events in support of the incumbent President of Azerbaijan. Meanwhile, three cases of forced participation in election rallies were recorded.

On September 20 and 23, observers from the OSCE/ODIHR observation mission witnessed how in the Qakh and Shamakhi Districts, participants of election campaign event organized by the "Yeni Azerbaijan" Party (YAP) were not allowed to leave the meeting till it was completed. Students from the town of Mingyachevir reported that on September 25, teachers told them not to leave the campaign event till it is over.