Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Centre (EMDS) condemns coercive expulsion of Sumgayit branch of Umid Party from its office and considers this as violation of freedom of association and right to equality declared in the Constitution of the Republic of Azerbaijan, freedom of association and assembly and right not to be subject to discrimination reflected in the European Convention on Human Rights.
On 20 April 2011, Supreme Court declined the cassation complaint of Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) against Ministry of Justice on the refusal of state registration. Judge Collegium chaired by Islam Aliyev ruled verdict which upheld the decision of the Court of Appeal declining the EMDS’s claim.
Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) strongly condemns the crackdown against civil society organizations and civil activists in Ganja, second largest city of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on 4 March 2011, and considers these actions as serious restrictions of political activities, freedom of assembly and freedom of association, as well as, political pluralism.
On February 5 2011, Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) released its Final Report on the results of Monitoring of the 7 November 2010 Parliamentary Elections.The Report states that the election campaign period was characterized by limited political debates and lack of public debates between competing parties in comparison to the 2005 parliamentary elections.
Prior to the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE , Civil Society Organizations in Azerbaijan adopted a petition on the misconduct of election observation mission of the two organizations in the 7 November 2010 Parliamentary Elections held in the Republic of Azerbaijan.
EMDS conducted monitoring of the voting and vote counting processes on the Election Day in 1,007 precincts in 125 election constituencies of the country through Statistically Based Observation (SBO) methodology. Examining the violations occurred in 18 constituencies, EMDS strongly believes that the results announced by election precincts, as well as thus of Central Election Commissions are highly suspicious and election-related complaints occurred in these election constituencies should be properly investigated
"The Elections cannot be considered as free and fair" - said Anar Mammadli, chairman of EMDS, in the press-conference. On 8 November, Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center published its Preliminary Statement on the results of the Election Day observation.
According to the information received from the observers by 15:00, voter turnout in the country was 32 percent. It should be noted that the observers cooperating with EMDS have reported figures provided by Precinct Election Commissions (PECs). However, the figure on voter turnout by 15:00 that the Central Election Commission publicized in its website is 38 percent.
Observers cooperating with Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) are conducting monitoring of the 7 November 2010 Parliamentary Elections in 125 election constituencies of the country through Statistically Based Observation (SBO) methodology.
Anar Mammadli call Mazahir Pabahov, chairman of CEC, to answer questions regarding the situation of voters list On 1 November, chairman of the Election Monitoring and Democracy Studies Center (EMDS) Anar Mammadli called chairman of Central Election Commission Mazahir Panahov to conduct a proper investigation regarding to situation of general voters’ list.
