Polling Station in Teahouse – CEC Could Not Foresee Opinion of Azerbaijan Women

Manon Bokuchava, Kvemo Kartli

Election and entertainment are not linked with each other at all. But, people often hear laughing and entertainment of men from Marneuli PEC # 85. There are two tables on the veranda of the precinct. Local men play backgammon and chess there. A tea-pot is on the window-frame. Tea is served in the cups and waiting for people. Everybody is happy.

When they saw humanrights.ge’s journalist the men stopped playing and met her. The reason of their particular attention was that women mostly do not enter teahouses in Marneuli.

Voters’ lists are hanging in the corridor with the space of about 5 sq. meters. Dinner equipment, a table and chairs are ready in the large room. At the end of the room there is a modest bar where vessel is stored.

“Commission members are not here now. One of them has just left the office and soon another member will replace him,” the employees of the teahouse explained.

We arrived at the polling station at about 12:25 pm on September 10.

Generally, in accordance to the Election Code, commission members do not have much work. However, they are prohibited to leave the precinct. In fact, the only thing they do at the polling station is to receive citizens. Voters look up their names in the list in the precinct. In case of Marneuli PEC # 85 factor of teahouse and ethnic traditions create problem for the functioning of the polling station.

Azerbaijan women know very well that women cannot enter teahouse. It is serious problem for them if they meet strange men and attract their attention. Considering the fact that this part of society is passive enough during elections, opening of the precinct in the teahouse farther complicates the situation.

“Believe me, I did not like this variant either but we could not rent other space. We could not find any other space except this one in this district. We visited some other private spaces but they cost more expensive and we could not pay it. As for the female problem, I will do my best not to create awkward situation for them when entering the precinct,” head of Marneuli DEC Iakob Asanidze told us on the phone.