OSCE's human rights and democratization body deploys observation mission for Tajik presidential election

DUSHANBE/WARSAW, 9 October 2006 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened a long-term Election Observation Mission in Tajikistan ahead of the 6 November presidential election. The mission is headed by Onno van der Wind (Netherlands) and includes 12 experts and 14 long-term observers who will be deployed in the regions.

The mission will assess the presidential election for its compliance with principles for democratic electoral processes, including commitments agreed to by all OSCE participating States, as well as national legislation.

Observers will closely monitor the legislative framework and its implementation, campaign activities, media coverage, the media situation, the work of the election administration and relevant government bodies and the resolution of election disputes.

The OSCE/ODIHR is considering requesting that OSCE participating States send 100 short-term observers to observe the voting, counting, and tabulation of results. However, a prerequisite for electoral competition, and therefore meaningful election observation, is a credible field of candidates offering voters a genuine choice, and a media environment that would ensure that voters receive sufficient information in order to be able to make informed choices. A possible absence of such a field of candidates and/or media environment could be a cause to reconsider the utility of requesting short-term observers for a systematic observation on Election Day.

The OSCE/ODIHR long-term mission will join efforts with a separate delegation from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which will be headed by Kimmo Kiljunen. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office may designate a special co-ordinator for short-term observers from the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

Observers will issue a statement of preliminary findings and conclusions the day after Election Day. A final report on the observation of the entire electoral process will be issued approximately eight weeks after the end of the observation mission.