OSCE’s biased report on presidential election in Azerbaijan faces harsh criticism from local media representatives

Baku, April 13, AZERTAC The Azerbaijani media representatives have criticized the report of the observation mission of the OSCE/ODIHR, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) on the presidential election in Azerbaijan, describing it as biased and unfair. Unlike most international observers, who monitored the presidential elections, Nilza de Sena (MP, Portugal), special co-ordinator and head of the short-term OSCE observer mission, Viorel Richard, Romanian MP, head of the PACE observation mission and Corien Jonker, Dutch MP, head of the OSCE/ODIHR election observation mission, took a prejudiced approach to the presidential election. Their anti-Azerbaijani attitude caused serious protest of representatives of the Azerbaijani public and media. The editors-in-chief of “Iki sahil” newspaper Vugar Rahimzade and “Ses” newspaper Bahruz Guliyev, editor of “Xalg gazeti” newspaper Aligismat Badalov said that the report of the OSCE ODIHR, OSCE PA and PACE observation mission was prepared on the basis of biased information presented by certain anti-Azerbaijani forces. Other international observers who monitored the voting said the election was free and fair and was held in compliance with democratic principles and international standards. They said no irregularities were registered during the voting.