CDD's Code of Conduct for Observers

"Center for Development and Democracy" (CDD) is a representative organization based on democratic principles. Organization principles are: demonstration of respecting the law, independence, impartiality, accuracy, transparency and professionalism.

"Code of Conduct" for Observers was developed with the aim to ensure the behaviour in respect to the high professionalism and personal standards of each member of the Electoral Observation Mission that is relevant to an independent and impartial role of observers.

 “Code of Conduct for Observers" is obligatory for each CDD’s observer. Any serious violation of the Code will result in a number of sanctions.

Code of Conduct for Observers from the Center of Development and Democracy:

• Observers should remain impartial while performing their obligations and should not express any kind of bias or attitude towards the local authorities, political parties and candidates, or towards any issue related to the election process. The entire period of the mission, including the personal free time after the job, each observer's behavior has to be flawless, based on a reasoned judgment and each of them must demonstrate the highest degree of personal rationality.
• Each observer of the election should imidiately inform the organization about any factor that might reflect negatively on the observer’s participation in the mission. for example, the observer should declare about:

o Health problem, which can prevent the process of the mission or to put the observer at risk within the process of the mission.
o Any factor from the observer’s backgroung, which is not sheefereba for an observer.
o Any fact of interest controversity.
Observers shoud carry out their duties in a way not to hinder or interfere into the election process. Observers may ask questions and inform the members of the administration about the violations, however, they should not give them instructions. The observer should not touch any official documents (ballot paper, report, stamp and etc.); in case of having questions or necessity to check the documentation, it can be done with the help of the member of administration.

• Observers perform their duties throughout the whole day of election, including the all the procedures of election day, counting of votes and and summing up the process. 
• All the reports by observers should be based on either their personal observation, or clear and convincing evidences and facts.
• Each observer reports to the organization and should report any incident, which may be reflected on the organization's work.
• Observers must not make any comment to the media regarding the election process or their monitoring activities, any comment given to the media should be limited to general information about the observer mission and role of the observers.
• Observers are required by law to carry identification documents with them and present themselves to any authorized person - if requested.
• Each observer must strictly obey all instructions and obligations that are set according to the: existing law, rules of Election administration and organization.
• Election observers should not participate into illegal activities, including any private action that may cause a conflict of interest with his/her duties as an observer.
• Observers should not take any unjustified or inappropriate risk. Personal safety of each observer is above all other issues.
• Each observer must work harmoniously with both, foreign and domestic, observers.