Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09BAKU125
2009-02-13 13:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Baku
Cable title:  

AZERBAIJAN REGISTERS ADVOCACY GROUPS FOR REFERENDUM

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL KDEM PHUM AJ 
pdf how-to read a cable
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ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131301Z FEB 09
FM AMEMBASSY BAKU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0767
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES PRIORITY
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 3249
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RHMFISS/CDR USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAKU 000125 

SIPDIS

EUR FOR MATT BRYZA; DRL FOR KAREN STEWART

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN REGISTERS ADVOCACY GROUPS FOR REFERENDUM

REF: A. BAKU 62

B. BAKU 16

C. 08 BAKU 1185

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAKU 000125

SIPDIS

EUR FOR MATT BRYZA; DRL FOR KAREN STEWART

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL KDEM PHUM AJ
SUBJECT: AZERBAIJAN REGISTERS ADVOCACY GROUPS FOR REFERENDUM

REF: A. BAKU 62

B. BAKU 16

C. 08 BAKU 1185


1. (SBU) Summary: Azerbaijan,s Central Election Commission
(CEC) approved the petitions of nine organizations to
function as "advocacy groups" ahead of the March 18
referendum on constitutional changes. Those approved include
the President,s political party, as well as two opposition
groups. Four organizations, including two minor opposition
groups, were rejected; one organization failed to submit its
petition in a timely manner. Human rights defender Leyla
Yunus, who continues to face charges of slander based on a
December 2008 lawsuit by the Minister of Interior, has
emerged as "coordinator" of the two opposition groups. The
CEC also registered 124 organizations and/or individuals to
work as advocacy groups in the regions of Azerbaijan. CEC
estimates that 10,000-15,000 observers, mostly citizens of
Azerbaijan, will be registered. OSCE/ODIHR does not plan to
participate. Critics of the referendum maintain that the
referendum process was introduced in a hasty manner without
sufficient public debate, and that Azerbaijan's restricted
media environment, plus constraints on freedom of assembly,
limit possibilities for a free and fair vote. It is not
clear how nine "advocacy groups," particularly groups of
scientists and sportsmen with little or no history of
political activism, raised 40,000 signatures in a rather
short period. Further, it remains unclear just what these
advocacy groups will do during the election campaign - or why
their registration was necessary at all. End Summary

CEC Explains Registration Process
--------------


2. (SBU) Pol-Econ Chief met February 12 with Rovzaq Gasimov,
Head of International Relations at the Central Election
Commission (CEC),to discuss further the GOAJ,s approach to
conducting a March 18 referendum on constitutional changes.
This followed 10 days of intense CEC activity in which an
inter-agency group reviewed applications by 13
non-governmental organizations and political parties that
sought registration as "advocacy groups" in the upcoming
thirty-day campaign period.


3. (SBU) Gasimov explained that 14 groups had requested

petitions, which required 40,000 signatures by registered
voters. Thirteen of these groups submitted petitions to the
CEC by the deadline date of February 1. Over the course of
ten days, the CEC validated or rejected signatures and passed
the petitions to the inter-agency group for review. As a
result, nine organizations were approved as advocacy groups:

- New (Yeni) Azerbaijan Party (YAP)
- City Initiative
- Progress
- Law and Democracy
- Civil Society
- For Sustainable Development
- Intellect
- Republicans
- For the Republic and Karabakh

Four organizations were rejected:

- Prosperous Village
- Free Speech
- Azerbaijan Xalq CumhuriyYETI/Union for Democracy
- National Independence


4. (SBU) Of the four that were rejected, Prosperous Vilage
and Free Speech were considered to be pro-gvernment and in
favor of the proposed constitutinal changes. Union for
Democracy and National Idependence were opposition-based,
and have nominaly agreed to join with other opposition
groups i opposing the amendments. One group, "Democratic
Azerbaijan," missed the registration deadline date.

Advocacy Groups Mainly Government "Friendly"
--------------


5. (SBU) Of the nine groups approved, commentators described
seven as "friendly" to the government, and thus expected to
support the slate of constitutional changes. The most
recognizable name, of course, is Yeni Azerbaijan, which is
the political party of President Aliyev. Other
pro-government groups, such as Intellect and "For Sustainable
Development," are relative newcomers to the political scene,

BAKU 00000125 002 OF 003


and represent academicians/scientists and sportsmen,
including Olympic athletes.


6. (SBU) Two groups, the Republicans and "For the Republic
and Karabakh," consist largely of opposition parties, and
will campaign against the amendments. The Republicans were
mainly organized by the Musavat Party, headed by long-time
political activist Isa Gambar. For the Republic and Karabakh
is an amalgamation of other opposition parties. Human rights
defender Leyla Yunus has emerged as the group,s
spokesperson, and yesterday agreed to act as coordinator for
both opposition groups. (Note: Leyla Yunus is the defendant
in a lawsuit filed by the Minister of the Interior, who
claims that Yunus slandered him in a 2008 interview about
human trafficking conducted by day.az. (online newspaper).
Yunus maintains that the Minister initially targeted her for
prosecution because of her emerging role as spokesperson for
anti-referendum groups. Additional comments on Yunus to be
reported septel. End Note)

Advocacy Groups Working at National and Regional Levels
-------------- --------------


7. (SBU) Gasimov also explained that 125 organizations and/or
individuals requested registration at the constituency, or
district, level to work as advocacy groups. Of those, 124
were approved. (Note: there are 125 district election
commissions in total, but the 125 applications did not
correspond to a system of one per district. Rather, some
districts will have multiple advocacy groups, while others
will have none. End Note) Constituency advocacy groups can
work in a specific district only; the nine "national"
advocacy groups can conduct nationwide campaigns.

Azerbaijan,s Proposed Constitutional Amendments
--------------


8. (SBU) As reported reftels, Azerbaijan's parliament decided
December 19 to conduct a national referendum March 18 on a
slate of 28 proposals to amend the country's constitution.
The proposals actually include more than 28 changes to the
constitution, as some proposed changes will be grouped
together on the ballot. (Note: Previously, CEC had referred
to 29 proposals. That has since been condensed to 28. End
Note) CEC states that, in order to simplify the process, it
has grouped "similar" changes together into single proposals.
Voters will be able to vote yes or no on each proposal; they
will not be asked to vote yes or no on the package as a
whole.


9. (SBU) Actual changes proposed include a removal of
presidential term limits, the ability to postpone or cancel
presidential and/or parliamentary elections during a time of
war and a requirement for publications to receive express
written consent before publishing photos of individuals.
Critics of the proposed changes argue that insufficient
debate has taken place. The parliament approved the
referendum date and proposed changes after less than 30
minutes of debate, and the Constitutional Court endorsed the
measure five days later. Azerbaijan,s media environment
remains highly constrained, with Radio Liberty off the air,
and freedom of assembly and association is restricted. The
campaign season officially begins February 18.

Domestic Monitors Being Registered
--------------


10. (SBU) Gasimov said that the CEC thus far has registered
362 domestic observers at the national level and 2,300
Azerbaijani citizens for observation in the regions, limited
to specific districts. No international groups have yet
applied for registration, though they are invited to do so.
(Note: OSCE/ODIHR has announced that it will not participate
in the referendum. The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe, as well as the CIS Parliamentary Assembly, is
expected to send an official delegation. Central Election
Commission members from Russia, Lithuania and Ukraine may
observe the vote in Azerbaijan. End Note) Registration of
domestic observers, in Gasimov's estimate, could reach
10,000-15,000. CEC notes that existing requirements for
registration make it easier for Azerbaijani individuals to
register as observers, than for NGOs and others to register
as groups.

Comment
--------------


BAKU 00000125 003 OF 003



11. (SBU) Many observers in Baku were surprised to learn that
two opposition groups were officially registered this week by
CEC. The additional development of individuals registered to
"advocate" at the district/local levels further came as a
surprise. CEC seemed uncertain about roles that these groups
would play, or why registration was necessary at all.
Gasimov pointed to precedents in presidential, parliamentary
and municipal elections, in which individuals and political
parties must register to stand for office. He acknowledged
the uncomfortable comparison, however, given that in a
referendum there are no candidates. Thus, it seems, people
are registered on the national and local levels for the March
18 referendum, but without clear instructions on what they
can or can,t do. CEC notes that individuals who are not
registered still maintain the right to voice opinions on the
constitutional amendments -- in theory, at least. At the
national level, registered groups will get free air-time on
television. There is no public financing or other obvious
benefits for registration in the districts. Registration at
that level, therefore, might offer a certain level of
protection for political activists, without any other obvious
benefits. The requirement to register also offers CEC and
the GOAJ the opportunity to keep tabs on campaign activists,
as well as election day observers.
DERSE