OSCE/ODIHR opens observation mission for presidential election in Turkey

ANKARA, 9 July 2014 – The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today formally opened a limited election observation mission (LEOM) for the 10 August presidential election in Turkey. The mission’s deployment follows an invitation from the Turkish authorities.

The mission is led by Ambassador Geert-Hinrich Ahrens and consists of a core team of 13 experts based in Ankara and 16 long-term observers to be deployed across the country.

The mission will observe this election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international standards for democratic elections, as well as with domestic legislation. Observers will follow candidate registration, campaign activities, the work of the election administration and relevant state bodies, implementation of the legislative framework, and the resolution of election disputes. As part of the observation, the LEOM will conduct comprehensive monitoring of the media.

In the course of its observation, the mission will meet with representatives from state authorities, political parties and candidates, and with representatives from civil society, the media and the international community. While the mission will visit a limited number of polling stations on election day, systematic observation of voting, counting or tabulation of results on election day is not envisaged.

The day after the election, ODIHR will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions at a press conference. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.

For further information please visit //www.osce.org/odihr/elections/turkey or contact Elma Šehalić, Media Analyst with the limited election observation mission, at +90 (0) 530 390 20 55 (mobile) or [email protected] (e-mail).

or

Thomas Rymer, ODIHR Spokesperson, at + 48 609 522 266 (mobile) or [email protected] (e-mail).