Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BAKU315
2006-02-28 11:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Baku
Cable title:
AZERBAIJAN: GOVT CONVICTS 10 OF ELECTION FRAUD
how-toVZCZCXRO1473 OO RUEHCD RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHMRE RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHKB #0315 0591153 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 281153Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY BAKU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9739 INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS BAKU 000315
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: GOVT CONVICTS 10 OF ELECTION FRAUD
REF: 05 BAKU 1876
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
UNCLAS BAKU 000315
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: GOVT CONVICTS 10 OF ELECTION FRAUD
REF: 05 BAKU 1876
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
1. (U) On February 24 First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam
Usubov told Poloff that the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO)
has obtained criminal convictions of 10 individuals for
election fraud in connection with the November 6
parliamentary elections. Few political observers were aware
of these reported convictions and the GOAJ has not publicized
the results.
2. (U) Usubov stated that the PGO has opened 18 criminal
investigations into election fraud and sent 11 of these cases
to trial. Courts have ruled in eight of the 11 cases which
produced the conviction of ten individuals. All of the 10
convicted individuals received financial penalties of between
15 and 20 percent of their annual salaries. None of those
convicted received jail sentences.
3. (U) In total, Usubov reported the PGO received 351
election fraud complaints, 99 of these from the Central
Election Commission (CEC) and the remainder from election
precinct officials, political parties, candidates and private
citizens. In all but the 18 cases criminally prosecuted, the
PGO concluded that the alleged election code violations
either were not criminal in nature or were not sufficiently
serious to warrant criminal prosecution. In two cases
investigated by the PGO, mitigating circumstances (the
voluntary confession of the suspect in one, and extenuating
family circumstances in the other) caused the PGO to drop
criminal charges.
4. (U) Citing the success of the PG's deployment of
prosecution teams around the country to cover the November
parliamentary election, Usubov noted that the PGO will again
dispatch teams to the ten constituencies where rerun
elections will be held in May to combat election fraud.
5. (SBU) Comment. While the GOAJ conviction of ten persons
for election fraud is a welcome first, it also represents
only a fraction of the total number of complaints. Moreover,
since the GOAJ has not publicized these 10 convictions, it
seems unlikely the convictions will have a deterrent effect
on those seeking to undermine the integrity of the electoral
process.
HARNISH
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PHUM KDEM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN: GOVT CONVICTS 10 OF ELECTION FRAUD
REF: 05 BAKU 1876
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION.
1. (U) On February 24 First Deputy Prosecutor General Rustam
Usubov told Poloff that the Prosecutor General's Office (PGO)
has obtained criminal convictions of 10 individuals for
election fraud in connection with the November 6
parliamentary elections. Few political observers were aware
of these reported convictions and the GOAJ has not publicized
the results.
2. (U) Usubov stated that the PGO has opened 18 criminal
investigations into election fraud and sent 11 of these cases
to trial. Courts have ruled in eight of the 11 cases which
produced the conviction of ten individuals. All of the 10
convicted individuals received financial penalties of between
15 and 20 percent of their annual salaries. None of those
convicted received jail sentences.
3. (U) In total, Usubov reported the PGO received 351
election fraud complaints, 99 of these from the Central
Election Commission (CEC) and the remainder from election
precinct officials, political parties, candidates and private
citizens. In all but the 18 cases criminally prosecuted, the
PGO concluded that the alleged election code violations
either were not criminal in nature or were not sufficiently
serious to warrant criminal prosecution. In two cases
investigated by the PGO, mitigating circumstances (the
voluntary confession of the suspect in one, and extenuating
family circumstances in the other) caused the PGO to drop
criminal charges.
4. (U) Citing the success of the PG's deployment of
prosecution teams around the country to cover the November
parliamentary election, Usubov noted that the PGO will again
dispatch teams to the ten constituencies where rerun
elections will be held in May to combat election fraud.
5. (SBU) Comment. While the GOAJ conviction of ten persons
for election fraud is a welcome first, it also represents
only a fraction of the total number of complaints. Moreover,
since the GOAJ has not publicized these 10 convictions, it
seems unlikely the convictions will have a deterrent effect
on those seeking to undermine the integrity of the electoral
process.
HARNISH