Azerbaijan's opposition to challenge presidential poll result in courtOctober 10, 2013 - 13:31 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Azerbaijan's opposition said on Thursday, October 10 it would challenge in court President Ilham Aliyev's victory in an election it said was marred by ballot stuffing and police interference, according to Reuters. Aliyev, who succeeded his father in the oil exporting state a decade ago, won 85 percent of the vote on Wednesday, official results showed, with nearly all ballots counted. Aliyev controls most levers of power and media outlets and his victory was a foregone conclusion for many in the nation of 9 million. "We'll go to the Constitutional Court and demand that election results are cancelled," opposition candidate Jamil Hasanly told reporters. "We gathered many examples of voting violations. There was ballot stuffing, cases of multiple voting and police interference in the electoral process." The Azeri Central Election Commission said it had not received any complaints of violations. Azerbaijan's fractured opposition had united for the first time in a presidential election behind Hasanly, 61, a former lawmaker and adviser to the late Abulfaz Elchibey, who was president for about a year in 1992-1993. Azerbaijan has enjoyed an economic boom fuelled by oil and gas in the decade since Aliyev, 51, succeeded his father, raising living standards. But Aliyev has faced criticism at home and abroad over the government's treatment of its critics. Protests are quickly quashed and one rights group said a pre-election crackdown had doubled the number of political prisoners. Related links: Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |