CEC sent a request to the Ministry of Internal Affairs in connection with whether candidates to the deputy had committed grave or especially grave crimes

This was informed to APA by the CEC secretary Vidadi Mahmudlu.

According to his words, the commission is holding an investigation among candidates by using all possible means at present in connection with candidates having imprisonment sentence, imprisoned for grave crimes and religious figures. V.Mahmudlu informed that constituency election commissions have no guilt in registration of those persons as candidates – especially religious figures.

“According to the Constitution of the Azerbaijan Republic, religious figures can not put their candidacy forward to elective organs. This prohibition is based on the principle “The religion is separate from the state” which is reflected in the Constitution. According to the 56th clause of the Constitution, citizens of the Azerbaijan Republic have the right to elect and be elected to the state organs, and participate in a referendum.

However, persons whose inability of activity was asserted by a court sentence do not have the right to participate in elections and referendum. The right of military servicemen, judges, state officials, religious figures, persons imprisoned by the sentence of the court coming into force, and other persons intended in the Constitution and law to participate in elections can be limited by the law. That is, participation of religious figures in elections is unambiguously prohibited by the Constitution. The question concerning official persons is so that they must resign from their posts after their candidacy is registered. However, no such requirement was fixed in connection with religious figures. That is why it becomes obvious that religious figures can not participate in election at all. The divergence of opinion in this connection exists in CEC too”.

V.Mahmudlu informed that the majority in CEC is against participation of religious figures in elections not depending on whether they resign from their posts or titles or not.