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Opposition’s Boycotting Presidential Elections Violates Citizens’ Rights: Chairman of Parliamentary Commission

Politics Materials 7 August 2008 19:26 (UTC +04:00)

Azerbaijan, Baku, 7 August / corr. Trend I.Alizade / The chairman of Azerbaijan Parliament's Commission on Human Rights considers that opposition parties' boycotting presidential elections and call to this action violates citizens' rights to elect and to be elected, which is reflected in the Constitution.

"The opposition parties do not give an opportunity to their members and electorate to participate in the elections. This step and their action, which is directed to disuse of citizens' rights, contradict the Law and violate these people's rights," Rabiyat Aslanova, the Head of Standing Parliamentary Commission, told Trend on 7August.

The presidential elections will be held in Azerbaijan on 15 October. The opposition Musavat, the Civil Solidarity, the Democratic, the Classical Popular Front parties, as well as, Azadlig bloc, which unites two parties, including the Popular Front and the Civil Development, and the National Unity Movement, decided to boycott the presidential elections, The Civil Solidarity, the Communist and the Great Establishment refused to participate in the presidential elections with own candidates. The National Independence, the Open Society, the Social and Democratic parties and Eldar Namazov, the head of the Public Forum of For Azerbaijan, will make a decision soon.

Gudrat Hasanguliyev, the chairman of the Azerbaijani Unified Popular Front Party, Hafiz Hajiyev, the chairman of the Muasir Musavat party, Fuad Aliyev, the chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party, and Igbal Agazade, the chairman of the Umid Party, officially nominated their candidatures.

The ruling New Azerbaijan Party nominated the current President Ilham Aliyev.

The Initiative group nominated Mayis Gulaliyev, co-chair of the Greens Party of Azerbaijan.

Moreover, Yashar Ahmedov (the unemployed), Alimukhtar Aberov (a pensioner), Sevinj Guliyeva (a junior nurse of the Sumgayit Central Clinic Hospital), Vugar Seyidov ( a doctor), Gudrat Isagov (senior scientist of the Physics Institute the Azerbaijani National Academy of Sciences) nominated their candidatures.

According to the head of the commission, forces, which lost their image in society and opportunity to be active figure in the political processes, directed their activity towards violating Azerbaijani citizens' principal rights, specified in the Constitution.

Moreover, Aslanova said that boycotting presidential elections by the opposition would not influence seriously on citizens' participation in the elections and their political activity.

"If the opposition cannot present a report on work and activity held by them within last five years to the society, how can voters believe in their calls? The society knows well that boycotting the presidential elections is connected with their own ambitions," the chairman of the commission said.

According to Aslanova, voters should not give opportunity to any force to restrict their rights: "I address to voters that they should use their opportunities, which are granted to them, because citizens' rights are provided by the Azerbaijani State. I urge every Azerbaijani citizen to participate in the elections on 15 October and to assess performed work correctly."

Ali Aliyev, the co-chairman of the Azadlig bloc, which will boycott the elections, told Trend that their decision did not violate citizens' rights.

"We are interested in ensuring citizens' election rights and improvement of political enlightenment. Most of all, the Government restricts human rights," Aliyev said.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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