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Azerbaijan votes in parliamentary elections amid boycott Azerbaijan election: Ruling party wins amid boycott
(about 14 hours later)
Parliamentary elections are taking place in Azerbaijan with the main opposition parties boycotting the vote. Azerbaijan's ruling party has won parliamentary elections that were boycotted by the main opposition parties, the country's electoral commission said.
They accuse the government of President Ilham Aliyev of jailing almost all of its opponents. The ruling New Azerbaijan party had won at least 70 seats in the 125-seat parliament, the commission said.
For the first time in more than two decades, international monitors from the OSCE will not be observing the vote, citing government restrictions. A host of small parties and candidates loyal to President Ilham Aliyev took almost all the rest.
Critics say the outcome is a foregone conclusion, with Mr Aliyev's ruling party set to easily retain a majority. The opposition has accused the government of jailing its opponents.
More than a dozen political parties are vying for 125 seats in Azerbaijan's National Assembly. International monitors from the OSCE did not observe the vote, citing government restrictions.
But the BBC's Rayhan Demytrie in neighbouring Georgia says those that can be considered genuine in their opposition to the government have refused to participate. More than a dozen political parties were vying for 125 seats in Azerbaijan's National Assembly.
But analysts say those that could be considered genuine in their opposition to the government refused to participate.
"The pre-election period was marred by massive violations. That's why we decided not to participate," opposition Musavat Party leader Arif Gajily told Reuters news agency."The pre-election period was marred by massive violations. That's why we decided not to participate," opposition Musavat Party leader Arif Gajily told Reuters news agency.
Analysis: Rayhan Demytrie, BBC NewsAnalysis: Rayhan Demytrie, BBC News
Sunday's vote serves as a reminder of the oppressive political environment inside the oil-rich nation.Sunday's vote serves as a reminder of the oppressive political environment inside the oil-rich nation.
In the past two years the Azeri authorities have jailed almost all critical voices, among them journalists, civil society activists, and human rights lawyers.In the past two years the Azeri authorities have jailed almost all critical voices, among them journalists, civil society activists, and human rights lawyers.
The government has also become increasingly intolerant of international criticism.The government has also become increasingly intolerant of international criticism.
It denied the existence of any political prisoners, and it frequently describes negative publicity as a Western agenda to discredit Azerbaijan.It denied the existence of any political prisoners, and it frequently describes negative publicity as a Western agenda to discredit Azerbaijan.
The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the leading international monitoring group, has not considered any of Azerbaijan's elections since independence to be free and fair.The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), the leading international monitoring group, has not considered any of Azerbaijan's elections since independence to be free and fair.
This year it has chosen not to send a mission. This year - for the first time in more than two decades - it chose not to send a mission, condemning the Azerbaijani government's "crackdown on independent and critical voices".
"The Azerbaijani government's crackdown on independent and critical voices has a particularly damaging effect ahead of the country's November 1 parliamentary elections," OCSE official Isabel Santos said in a statement quoted by AFP.
Polls are due to close at 19:00 local time (15:00 GMT). Preliminary results are expected to follow within hours.