Need for free and fair Azerbaijani elections

11.16.20am BST (GMT +0100) Mon 17th Oct 2005

Sarah Ludford MEP with Rasul Guliev

On the day that Azerbaijani opposition leader Rasul Guliev returns to Baku from exile abroad, Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman Baroness Sarah Ludford is calling for European countries and organisations, and especially the UK Presidency of the European Union, to put firm pressure on Azerbaijan for the holding of free and fair parliamentary elections on November 6th. She said:

"Previous elections in the 12-year hereditary regime of Ilham Aliyev and his father Heydar have been marred by large-scale fraud. Opposition protests are routinely broken up through police brutality, including within the last few weeks."

"It is essential that all the European bodies concerned with democracy and justice - Council of Europe, OSCE and EU - make clear to President Aliyev that they are monitoring the situation closely and that there will be serious consequences for his government if he tries to steal the elections for the ruling party."

"The EU must invoke the clause in the EU-Azerbaijan partnership & cooperation agreement which requires respect for democracy, the rule of law and human rights to secure fair treatment of opposition leaders, candidates and supporters in the run-up to November 6th. In particular, if Democratic party leader Rasul Guliev is obstructed in his return today, there must be a full official protest and action."

Notes

Baroness Sarah Ludford MEP successfully campaigned for the release of Rasul Guliev's niece, Almas Guliev, following her wrongful earlier this year. For further information please go to:

• http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk/news/504.html

• http://www.sarahludfordmep.org.uk/news/499.html