Duhok detects election violations, urges “positive atmosphere” for democratic elections

Last Update: 2024-09-29 16:35:04 - Source: Shafaq News

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, DuhokGovernor Ali Tatar announced that violations had been detected by some partiesand candidates running for the Kurdistan Region parliamentary elections.

In a press conference, Tatar stated,"The electoral campaign has been proceeding smoothly so far, with nosecurity breaches reported, but some violations have been observed."

"Some political parties andcandidates have placed campaign posters and banners in unauthorized locations,obstructing traffic and disrupting the movement of citizens," he explained.

Furthermore, Tatar affirmed that theIndependent High Electoral Commission (IHEC) hasfined several candidates for these violations, noting that "some breacheshave also occurred on social media between competing candidates andparties."

“I call on all parties to create apositive atmosphere for holding democratic elections,” the governor concluded.

On Wednesday, the Kurdistan electioncampaign began, with Shafaq News Agency documenting the widespread display ofcandidates' posters along roadsides and in public squares across Erbil, thecapital of the Region.

Back in June, President NechirvanBarzani issued a Regional decree setting October 20, 2024, as the official datefor the Kurdistan parliamentary elections.

The October vote is expected toelect 100 new lawmakers representing the governorates of Iraqi Kurdistan: Erbil(34 seats, including one for Christians and one for Turkmen), Halabja (threeseats), Al-Sulaymaniyah (38 seats, including one for Christians and one forTurkmen), and Duhok (25 seats, including one for Christians).