OSCE 'regrets' decision on election monitoring center shutdown
The OSCE has expressed "regret" over the decision of Azerbaijan's
Khatai district court to cancel the registration of the Election
Monitoring Center, a local civil society organization.
In a statement issued by the OSCE office in Baku, the group called on the authorities to facilitate the registration of civil society organizations and to provide these organizations with the opportunity "to correct any technical registration errors, rather than de-register them".
The court ruling handed down last Wednesday was based on a plea filed on April 17 by the Justice Ministry senior department on registration and notary affairs. It explained the move by uncertain information about the founders in the Center's documents and failure to inform the ministry about its changed legal address. The plaintiff also said information about the center's representations located in eight cities of the country was not included in a respective state register. The organization's executives charged that the decision was unfair and vowed to appeal against it.
"In a democratic system the authorities should acknowledge and support the positive role that civil society organizations play. As an OSCE participating state, Azerbaijan has acknowledged the importance of domestic election observation and the vital role that non-governmental organizations can play in promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law," said Jose-Luis Herrero, head of the OSCE office.
"Domestic election observers are a vital component of a transparent, democratic election process. The OSCE Office in Baku strongly encourages the Azerbaijani government to do its utmost to overcome the situation so that the Election Monitoring Centre can be registered again shortly and operate in full capacity in the upcoming electoral process."
The US embassy spokesman Johnatan Henick has voiced concern over the court ruling, regarding the decision as "a step back".
"We believe that local observers play an important role in the elections and there should be absolutely no restrictions on their activity. We call on Azerbaijani officials and the Center to work together to solve outstanding technical matters, and hope that the organization will be re-registered," he told Radio Liberty.
The center's registration had gone into effect in February.
The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on October 15.
In a statement issued by the OSCE office in Baku, the group called on the authorities to facilitate the registration of civil society organizations and to provide these organizations with the opportunity "to correct any technical registration errors, rather than de-register them".
The court ruling handed down last Wednesday was based on a plea filed on April 17 by the Justice Ministry senior department on registration and notary affairs. It explained the move by uncertain information about the founders in the Center's documents and failure to inform the ministry about its changed legal address. The plaintiff also said information about the center's representations located in eight cities of the country was not included in a respective state register. The organization's executives charged that the decision was unfair and vowed to appeal against it.
"In a democratic system the authorities should acknowledge and support the positive role that civil society organizations play. As an OSCE participating state, Azerbaijan has acknowledged the importance of domestic election observation and the vital role that non-governmental organizations can play in promoting human rights, democracy and the rule of law," said Jose-Luis Herrero, head of the OSCE office.
"Domestic election observers are a vital component of a transparent, democratic election process. The OSCE Office in Baku strongly encourages the Azerbaijani government to do its utmost to overcome the situation so that the Election Monitoring Centre can be registered again shortly and operate in full capacity in the upcoming electoral process."
The US embassy spokesman Johnatan Henick has voiced concern over the court ruling, regarding the decision as "a step back".
"We believe that local observers play an important role in the elections and there should be absolutely no restrictions on their activity. We call on Azerbaijani officials and the Center to work together to solve outstanding technical matters, and hope that the organization will be re-registered," he told Radio Liberty.
The center's registration had gone into effect in February.
The presidential election will be held in Azerbaijan on October 15.
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