Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — On 25 September, the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE opened a mission to observe the upcoming parliamentary elections in Uzbekistan, scheduled for 27 October.

The mission is headed by Douglas Wake. It includes 14 international experts working in Tashkent and 26 long-term observers who will be deployed across the country starting from 2 October. Additionally, 300 short-term observers will join them a few days before the elections.

The mission’s task is to assess the elections against the commitments of the OSCE, international standards for democratic elections, and national legislation. Observers will monitor all aspects of the electoral process, including pre-election and post-election campaigns, the work of electoral commissions, dispute resolution, and media coverage of the elections. They will also check the implementation of previous ODIHR recommendations.

Observers plan to hold meetings with representatives of government bodies, political parties, civil society, the media, and the international community.

The day after the elections, the mission will announce preliminary results at a press conference, and a full report with assessments and recommendations will be published several months later.