On 5 February 2020, Deputy SCO Secretary-General Sherali Jonon had a meeting with Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Azerbaijan Mazahir Panakhov in the run-up to the early parliamentary election.
During their conversation, the parties discussed the process of preparing for and holding the parliamentary election and the legal aspects of the work of international observers in the country.
Mazahir Panakhov informed Sherali Jonon about the events under the Central Election Commission's educational programme, regulatory documents that had been approved and amendments to the national Election Code over the past three years in great detail. He drew attention to the Central Election Commission's efforts to ensure that the elections are transparent, to actively use IT and communications technologies during the voting process and to create comfortable conditions for voters with disabilities. He noted that people were able to obtain information about candidates to the national Parliament (Milli Majlis) and pointed out that equal campaigning opportunities were available.
In turn, the Deputy SCO Secretary-General noted that the SCO boasted essential experience and competences for monitoring elections to governing and legislative bodies.
Sherali Jonon said the SCO Mission included accredited SCO member-state representatives and SCO Secretariat representatives. The Head of the SCO Mission also thanked the Central Election Commission's officials for creating favourable conditions making it possible to monitor the preparations for the voting process and its organisation.