Azerbaijan - December 2023

On 7 December, President Ilham Aliyev signed a decree to hold snap elections in February 2024, a year ahead of schedule. No reason was given for the early elections, and no Azerbaijani election during Aliyev’s twenty years in power has been free or fair. Prominent opposition politician Tofig Yaqublu was arrested on fraud charges shortly after the announcement and faces seven to twelve years of imprisonment, which supporters argue to be a tool to keep him imprisoned during the election campaign. The country’s main opposition parties announced plans to boycott the election, citing the lack of a fair and equal playing field.

Sources: Eurasianet (1), Eurasianet (2), OC Media