OSCE sends team to assess parliamentary elections in Turkey

WARSAW/ANKARA, 25 June 2007 - The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, OSCE/ODIHR, opened an election assessment mission to Turkey today for the 22 July parliamentary elections, following an invitation from the Turkish authorities.

The mission, led by Julian Peel Yates from the United Kingdom, includes experts from 14 OSCE countries.

The mission will assess and report on the overall framework for elections in Turkey with regard to OSCE commitments for holding democratic elections. The experts will meet with government authorities, the election administration, political parties, candidates, civil society and the media. The mission will also monitor coverage of the election campaign in the media.

On election day, the assessment team will visit several polling stations to follow procedures, but does not intend to carry out systematic or comprehensive observation of the voting, counting, or tabulation.

The OSCE/ODIHR will issue a report on its findings approximately two months after the completion of the election process.

A report from the OSCE/ODIHR Needs Assessment Mission to Turkey, conducted from 29 May to 1 June 2007, is available on the ODIHR website at: Needs Assessment Mission Report ahead of the 22 July 2007 Parliamentary Elections in Turkey

The OSCE/ODIHR assessed the parliamentary elections in Turkey in 2002.