President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan has won a fifth consecutive term in a highly criticized election. The election authorities reported that Aliyev received more than 92% of the vote, but international observers raised concerns over the lack of meaningful challengers and the absence of opposition parties. The main rival parties boycotted the election, and an opposition leader called it an “imitation of democracy.” The snap poll was called after the government captured a region controlled by ethnic Armenian separatists. Aliyev’s opponents refrained from criticizing his rule, leading to a contest devoid of genuine pluralism.
The president’s victory was celebrated by thousands of his supporters in the capital city of Baku. However, human rights groups claim that elections in Azerbaijan lack fairness and freedom. In previous elections, Aliyev typically won over 85% of the vote. Artur Gerasymov, the head of the observer mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, highlighted the absence of meaningful challenges in the election.
Aliyev’s decision to hold the early election was motivated by his increased popularity following Azerbaijan’s military campaign in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh territory. The campaign, which took place in September, ended three decades of ethnic Armenian rule in the region and brought it back under Azerbaijani control. While some senior officials from Nagorno-Karabakh were arrested, many ethnic Armenian residents fled to neighboring Armenia.
Opposition parties criticized the lack of conditions for free and fair elections in Azerbaijan. The leader of Popular Front, one of the main opposition parties, cited restrictions on freedom of assembly, government pressure on the media, and suppression of political dissent. Azerbaijani authorities have also intensified their crackdown on independent media outlets, leading to the arrest of critical journalists.
International human rights group Amnesty International has accused Azerbaijani authorities of repressing freedom of expression and targeting voices critical of the president. Despite these criticisms, several foreign leaders, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, have congratulated President Aliyev on his electoral victory.
The outcome of the election and the lack of meaningful opposition raises concerns about the democratic process and political pluralism in Azerbaijan. The ongoing crackdown on independent media further stifles freedom of expression in the country. The international community should closely monitor the human rights situation in Azerbaijan and call for greater respect for democratic principles and freedoms.
