The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) today opened an election observation mission for the 27 October parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, following an official invitation from the national authorities.
The mission is headed by Douglas Wake and consists of a core team of 14 international experts based in Tashkent and 26 long-term observers, who will be deployed throughout the country from 2 October. ODIHR will request 300 short-term observers, to arrive several days before election day.
The mission will assess the conduct of the election for its compliance with OSCE commitments and other international obligations and standards for democratic elections, as well as with national legislation.
Observers will closely monitor all aspects of the election, including pre- and post-election developments. Specific areas of focus include the implementation of the legal framework, the conduct of the campaign, including on social networks, the work of the election administration at all levels, election dispute resolution and media coverage. The observers will also assess the implementation of previous ODIHR election recommendations.
Meetings with representatives of state authorities, political parties, civil society, the media and the international community form an integral part of the observation.
The day after the elections, the mission's preliminary findings will be presented at a press conference. A final report with an assessment of the entire election process and containing recommendations will be published some months after the election.
