The Assyrian Democratic Movement expresses its deep regret over the decision made by the Independent High Electoral Commission to exclude our candidate from the candidacy for the Nineveh quota seat. The exclusion was based on the claim of incomplete nomination documents.
Following the Commission’s rejection of the initial certificate submitted, on the basis that it was addressed “To Whom It May Concern”, our candidate promptly took steps to obtain a revised certificate. However, despite these efforts, the Commission did not allow adequate time for the new certificate to be received and processed, and proceeded with our candidates exclusion.
It is important to clarify that the entity responsible for issuing the required certificate—the Air Force Command—declined to provide it directly to the candidate. Instead, it insisted on sending the document via official correspondence through its supervisory authority, the Presidency of the Army Staff, directly to the Commission. This protocol was cited as a procedural requirement, and the candidate was not permitted to obtain the certificate in person.
We view this decision as unjust and procedurally restrictive, and we affirm our commitment to pursuing all available legal and administrative avenues to ensure the rights of our candidate and our community are upheld.
Due to administrative procedures beyond our control, the delivery of the required certificate for our candidate was delayed. As a result, our Movement and its candidate were unjustly prevented from participating in the upcoming elections.
It is particularly concerning that, while the Commission permitted certain political entities, whose candidates were similarly disqualified, to nominate replacements, this same right was not extended to our Movement. This discrepancy highlights an unequal application of the rules and raises serious concerns about the consistency and fairness of the Commission’s decisions.
Accordingly, we call upon the Independent High Electoral Commission to uphold the principles of justice and equal opportunity by granting all political entities, whose candidates were excluded for procedural or administrative (i.e., non-criminal or non-judicial) reasons—the chance to either complete the required documentation or to nominate alternative candidates.
The selective exclusion of candidates, especially in the absence of clear and consistent standards, gives rise to legitimate concerns about transparency and impartiality. Such practices not only cast doubt on the integrity of the Commission’s procedures, but also risk eroding public trust in the electoral process as a whole and raise serious questions about whether these actions serve the interests of competing political forces.
We reaffirm our commitment to democratic principles and call for a fair, transparent, and inclusive electoral process that respects the rights of all political movements and communities.
