http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2005/01/21/iraq10058.htmIraqi Elections: Human Rights Concerns
Questions and Answers from Human Rights Watch
On January 30, 2005, Iraq is scheduled to hold elections for twenty government bodies, including a Transitional National Assembly. But the U.N.-assisted elections are taking place under conditions of extreme insecurity and political turmoil that will make it all but impossible for every eligible voter to freely make a choice. In human rights terms, voters in many areas face a quandary: they must risk their lives to participate in the elections, or forgo the historic chance to cast their ballot.
What makes an election “free and fair”?
An election is “free” when it reflects the full expression of the political will of the people concerned. Freedom in this sense involves the ability to participate in the political process without intimidation, coercion, discrimination, or the abridgment of the rights to associate with others, to assemble, and to receive or impart information. The “fairness” of an election refers to the right to vote on the basis of equality, non-discrimination, and universality. No portion of the electorate should be arbitrarily disqualified, or have their votes given extra weight.
Who is organizing the elections?
The elections are organized by the Independent Electoral Commission of Iraq (IECI), established by thef U.S.-run Coalition Provisional Authority in May 2004. The Commission is run by a nine-member Board of Commissioners, which includes seven voting members who are Iraqi citizens, and two non-voting members.5 The two non-voting members are the chief electoral officer, an Iraqi, and an international expert appointed by the United Nations (U.N.).6 Thirty other U.N. election specialists are providing technical expertise.
Are voters well educated about the elections?
Despite education campaigns by the Electoral Commission and nongovernmental organizations, press reports suggest a mixed level of understanding among Iraqis about the elections.
According to one poll conducted by the International Republican Institute, a U.S. Congress-funded group, forty-one percent of respondents in November-December 2004 said the elections were for a president, compared to twenty-eight percent who properly said it was for the Transitional National Assembly. Thirteen percent of the respondents did not know what the election was for at all. Poor security compounds the problem. Most political parties and coalitions have not announced the names of candidates, except for the prominent individuals on the top of their lists. Voters are therefore obliged to vote for parties and other groups without knowing the people who will fill the assembly seats.
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