Additional Measures to Secure Electoral Rights
The Central Election Commission of the Republic of Uzbekistan convened November 8 for a meeting chaired by Mirzo-Ulugbek Abdusalomov. The event was attended by representatives of the country’s political parties, members of election observation mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, as well as media professionals.
The Central Election Commission has taken additional measures to ensure the electoral rights of blind people, including the production of additional ballots in Braille.
It was noted during the event that the presidential elections in Uzbekistan are carried out by citizens of the republic on the basis of universal, equal and direct suffrage by secret ballot.
Citizens from 18 years of age are entitled to participate in the presidential elections in our country. Any direct or indirect restriction of the electoral rights of citizens of the Republic of Uzbekistan in accordance with origin, social and property status, race or ethnicity, gender, education, language, attitude to religion, type and nature of occupation is prohibited.
Participants of the meeting stressed that the action plan, approved by the Central Election Commission on 7 October 2016, to uplift the law culture of voters in the run-up to the presidential elections is being implemented with consistency and steadiness.
Processes of renovation and democratization of society are intertwined with the provision for electoral rights of citizens. Extensive outreach activities are in progress across the nation to explain the country’s electoral system, the essence and significance of the Law on Elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, introduced amendments and addenda to it, as well as the rights and freedoms of voters enshrined in laws. Meetings and other events are organized among the general population, in particular women, young people, including those casting ballot for the first time, the elderly, persons with disabilities, military personnel, representatives of citizens’ self-government bodies, office and enterprise teams, educational institutions, as well as abroad.
The entire electoral season has been going on based on broad publicity. In accordance with the existing legislation, one observer from each political party that nominated candidates for President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, representatives of the print press, television and radio, observers from other states and international organizations have the right to participate in all events related to the preparations for and conduct of elections, as well as to be present in polling stations on the election day and while counting ballots. Their powers should be confirmed by pertinent documents.
The participation of international observers promotes openness and transparency of the electoral process. As you may know, members of the core team of the mission of observers from the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) headed by Ambassador Johann Peter Traugott Tejler continue their work on monitoring the electoral process.
The CEC adopted a resolution on the accreditation of 20 long-term observers as part of the OSCE ODIHR mission, who arrived in our country on November 6-7.
Republican Press Center for Covering the
Elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan
Source: elections.uz