Azerbaijani authorities have sent official invitations to international observers to monitor presidential elections slated for October.

Nine international organizations, including UN, OSCE, BSEC, PACE, CIS, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Organization of the Islamic Cooperation, have received invitations.

Six candidates have submitted necessary documents to the CEC to run in the upcoming presidential elections. They are: “Chairman of New Azerbaijan Party, President Ilham Aliyev, Chairman of Freedom party Ahmad Oruj, Citizens and Development Party chairman Ali Aliyev, Liberal Democratic Party of Azerbaijan chairman Fuad Aliyev, Umid party chairman Iqbal Aghazade and lawyer Ilgar Mammadov (Altay).

Ahead of the elections, Azerbaijan tried to neutralize international observers, for example by cutting mandate of the Baku OSCE Office. Despite all efforts, situation with political prisoners, freedom of speech and religion is criticized by international community.