15 October 2008, 14:38
Opposition states numerous violations at presidential election in Azerbaijan
In the course of the voting at presidential election in Azerbaijan serious facts of breaking the law have been fixed. This is the topic of the statement made by the Opposition Cooperation Centre (OCC), whose representatives are observing the course of election in different regions of the country, and delivered to the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.
The OCC comprises the Parties of the People's Front of Azerbaijan, "Musavat", "Citizens and Development", Liberal Party and the Public Forum "In the Name of Azerbaijan", who are boycotting the presidential election.
In particular, the OCC message runs that at some polling stations ballot papers were not counted before voting in the presence of observers.
In some cases, at voting, the electors were not asked to present their IDs.
At polling stations in the Devechin and Surakhan Districts, the so-called "roundabout" method was used, that is, a multiple participation of one person in voting at multiple polling stations.
This method was actively used after midday, to make it possible to report, by 3:00 p.m., about 50 percent of voter turnout, the OCC observers believe.
However, the five polling stations in Baku visited by the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent from the morning were poorly populated.
The observers report that in the majority of districts voters were brought in buses and taxis to polling stations under the control of executive bodies.
In Baku, huge shopping centres named "Sharg" and "Bollug" were closed, and the traders were forced to go to vote. Same happened at the local fair and other shopping centres of the city of Gyandzha.
Author: Faik Medzhid, CK correspondent
