YEREVAN, APRIL 12, ARMENPRESS. Incumbent President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev has won the April 11 presidential election by garnering overwhelming majority of votes.

Azerbaijan’s APA news agency reported that 3,723,278 ballots have been counted from the total 3,959,553, and the incumbent president has secured another term in office with 86%.

Zahid Oruc, an independent candidate, is 2nd with most votes – with only 3,11%.

The central electoral commission said 74,51% of eligible voters participated in the election.

Many reports on electoral fraud and violations were made during election day. Violations mostly included ballots stuffing, obstruction of reporters and multiple voting cases.

Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already congratulated Aliyev on winning the election.

Although eight candidates were running for office, Aliyev was widely expected to be re-elected to a 4th term as president. The authoritarian ruler was silenced the opposition, has obstructed freedom of speech in all forms, has jailed or expelled journalists, among many other human rights abuses.

The April 11 election was the first presidential election since the constitutional amendments of Azerbaijan, which Aliyev initiated to enable himself to maximally consolidate power and remain in office, and even run for office as much as he wants.

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan