Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Dec. 5
By Demir Azizov– Trend:
The presidential election in Uzbekistan was open and democratic and corresponded to the international standards, Rashid Alimov, head of the observer mission from the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), said.
Alimov, who is also SCO secretary general, made remarks at the briefing in Uzbekistan Dec. 5.
He added that the observer mission members visited 181 polling stations in Tashkent and regions of the country on the voting day.
"The mission stressed the high voter turnout during the election,” Alimov said, adding that the polling stations were well equipped.
He added that the observer mission members worked independently by guiding the principles of political neutrality and non-interference in the internal affairs of the country.
The SCO observers worked in Uzbekistan from November 29 to December 5 at the invitation of the Uzbek Central Election Commission (CEC).
The mission included 20 representatives from the SCO member-states, namely, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Tajikistan.
The presidential election was held in Uzbekistan December 4. A total of 17.94 million voters cast ballots in the election.
Candidates from four political parties of Uzbekistan participated in the presidential election - Uzbekistan Liberal Democratic Party (UzLiDeP), People's Democratic Party (PDPU), Milly Tiklanish (National Revival) Party, and Adolat (Justice) Social Democratic Party.
Among the presidential candidates were the country’s Acting President Shavkat Mirziyoyev from UzLiDeP, Sarvar Otamuratov from Milly Tiklanish Party, Nariman Umarov from Adolat Party, and Hotamzhon Ketmonov from PDPU.