ELECTION 2003

Presidential elections took place in Azerbaijan on October 15, 2003.
The Center for Pluralism "Inam" implemented a number of
mutual projects on the elections.

ORGANIZATION OF INTERNATIONAL OBSERVATION

OSCE Observation Mission visited Azerbaijan to observe pre-election period and 15 October, 2003 presidential elections with organization of the Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (IDEE) and its Azerbaijan partner - the CfP "Inam".

According to its scale it was the first and independent Observation Mission consisting of observers possessing wide experience in the sphere of election monitoring from Central and Eastern Europe, as well from former Soviet Union. The mission consisted of 188 observers - present and former state officials, members of election commissions, leaders of election monitoring organizations, specialists in the sphere of human rights, former parliament members and democracy activists from Belarus, Estonia, Ukraine, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Poland, Czech, Romania, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Turkey, Slovenia, Macedonian and the US were in the mission.

In a very short period of time the Center for Pluralism "Inam"/IDEE prepared all documents of observers included into the list of 206 observers prepared by the US embassy to Azerbaijan and submitted the documents to OSCE/ODHIR Baku office for registration by the Central Election Commission. Simultaneously, "Inam" by mobilizing all its efforts during of four days checked the knowledge of 154 interpreters translating from Russian, English, Czech, Poland and Serbia languages into Azeri, prepared the documents of these interpreters and submitted to OSCE/ODHIR Baku office for registration by the Central Election Commission.

The Center for Pluralism "Inam" formed 14 regional coordination groups for representing international observation in 124 election constituencies on the whole country. These groups assisted activities of international observers on all election constituencies (driving of observers and interpreters to regions, deployment, taking them to precincts and election constituencies and etc.). On those days Inam's staff consisted of 45 persons, 19 out of which employed in Baku, 12 persons - in Inam's headquarter, 14 persons - in the regions of the country.

Observers got acquainted with brief instructions of OSCE/ODHIR within 5-6 hours and started for regions on October 14. Thus, participation of all observers in 124 election constituencies on the country was provided. 188 observers managed to observe elections in more than 1000 precincts and this one make 1/5 part of the whole 5200 precincts in the country.

Most of observers were provided with opportunities to inform IDEE/Inam headquarter via cellular phones in the course of election. In the afternoon observers have already checked the cases of election violation and informed IDEE/Inam headquarter on the falsifications. Among falsifications there frequently met cases as presence of police and military men in the buildings of precincts and around them, inundation of observers from opposition and representatives of local election commission, illegal video surveys accompanying voters till ballot boxes, facts of not including names of voters into voters lists and etc. Serious law violations took place in the process of votes counting and protocols preparation, bulletins of the candidates from opposition mostly haven't been counted, and invalid bulletins have been used. Members of election commission, who rejected to sign illegal protocols were intimidated and made to sign them.

"INVOLVEMENT ELECTORATE TO PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS"

This campaign was conducted by "SOS 03" Election League set up "Inam" and other 5 local NGOs. Establishment of Voters Clubs in the regions, holding regional forums and motor rallies and organization of international conference related election observation was included into the program of the campaign.

The specialists consider that an international conference "Effective organization of local and international observation at presidential elections" took place in June, is one of the most successful measures on the elections of local NGOs. The conference took place under serious discussions of the parties involved into the process of organization and conduct of elections: representatives of the government, international organizations, diplomatic corps and opposition parties. Organization of international observation in post communist, especially in the Caucasian countries was seriously discussed by election technologists arrived from foreign countries and local political and social organizations representatives. Not effective organization of local and international observation at the elections in the countries having the problem of democracy was considered to be a serious problem. Ways of coordination of activities of political parties, local NGOs and international organizations were investigated, opinions and suggestions in this direction have been listened. Then a conference leader Vahid Gazi acquainted participants with Memorandum of the conference. Memorandum was adopted after discussions.

Further there took place forums titled "Voters mobilization and territorial election clubs". Representatives of NGOs, political parties and local activists participated at regional forums in Imishli, Zagatala, Khachmaz, Masalli, Nakhchivan, Ganja, Gazakh and Yevlakh regions. The problem of mobilization in the elections, restriction in Election Code and other problems related elections were analyzed and ways of solution of such problems were indicated. Inhabitants from over 40 districts of the country joined the forum. At the end of the each forum there were established Voters Clubs. Voters Clubs realized mobilization of electorate at the elections, distribution of agitation materials, voters mobilization, organization of "Hot line" for electoral rights defense.

Agitation materials with circulation over 60.000 copies, international bulletins, e-mail messages covering 30.000 subscribers published by the League played a significant role in increasing voters activity.

CAMPAIGN "VOTE YOURSELF, ELECT YOURSELF"

The Center for Pluralism "Inam" together with organization "Garabag evi" (Home of Karabakh) implemented an election campaign "Vote Yourself, Elect Yourself" in refugee camps in August-October. The campaign covered 5 refugee camps. The goal of the campaign was on the eve of elections to encourage people in refugee camps, where voters activity was weak. Firstly, seminar-training was conducted for 30 activists selected among people in refugee camps. At this training participants practiced themselves as canvassers.

At the end of the measure agitation groups were formed, members of which were trained to hold agitational work among refugees during election campaign, to distribute to all houses agitational and propaganda materials, to paste posters, to mount banners, to organize a concert program that was envisaged in the project.

In the course of the whole campaign agitators in shirts with endorsement "Vote Yourself, Elect Yourself" mounted banners with motto of the campaign in central places of the camps, pasted posters, distributed to houses calendars and other agitation materials, distributed the materials published by "Inam" and as well other local and international NGOs, hold meetings and talks in schools, chaikhana and other crowded places to mobilize population at the elections.

A concert program under motto "Vote Yourself, Elect Yourself" in an open air in refugee camps occurred in early October. In show/concert program, where participated most part of camps inhabitants, the citizens were called to an active participation at the elections and were given agitation materials.

The conduct of such successful condition in refugee camps created condition to form election atmosphere. Facing of refugee camps inhabitants with non-party slogans on posters calling citizens to elections, holding of agitation not by strangers but by inhabitants of camps, missing calls to vote for one of candidates for presidency either publications or in oral speeches and concert programs assured every one in objectivity of this campaign which promoted local inhabitants to take part in this campaign. Invitation of population through local radio for participation in the measures once more increased mass character of the campaign. Local coordinators, local observers, members of polling stations and constituencies noted high activity of refugee in comparison with similar refugee camps.

On the whole, campaign "Vote Yourself, Elect Yourself" covered over 5000 citizens.