Azerbaijan, Baku, 1 August / Trend corr.K.Zarbaliyeva/ Azerbaijani prisoners lacking identity cards will temporarily receive documents to vote during presidential elections.
Preparation for presidential elections was commenced in all prisons, Head of PR Department at the Penitentiary Service of Azerbaijani Justice Ministry Mehman Sadikhov said to Trend on 1 August.
Presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October. There are about 19,000 prisoners in Azerbaijan, with minors and expats amongst them.
Number of prisoners lacking identity cards will be specified by the day of elections.
As to conditions for prisoners and convicts to enjoy the right to vote and freedom of choice, Sadikhov said each of them would vote at their imprisonment place.
According to Sadikhov, in order to enable prisoners lacking identity cards to vote adequate documents will be developed for them for a time.
As to specification of number of prisoners and convicts, Sadikhov said their number will change by the beginning of elections. "Several prisoners will be released and replaced by new prisoners and convicts by that time," said Sadikhov.
According to Spokesperson for Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC) Azar Sariyev, the prisoners lacking identity cards voted during prior election with Prisoner's Identity Card. "Obviously, this time prisoners lacking identity cards will again vote with this document," said Sariyev.
"We receive information from the Penitentiary Service, Military Commissariat, Foreign Ministry regarding expiration of imprisonment period, exemption from military service, citizens who have returned from abroad. Lists of voters will be developed in conformity with this information," said Sariyev.
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