The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) and Assyria Council of Europe (ACE) jointly published a titled Election Observation Mission Report on the April elections in Iraq. On April 30th, 2014, Iraqi people were invited to vote to elect new members to the Council of Representatives. This was the third time Parliamentary elections took place since the fall of Saddam Hussein, pledging more democracy and credible law-making processes. In total, 100 political entities and 9200 candidates competed for 328 seats, while 8 seats were reserved for the minority components in Iraq, in order to guarantee their political representation in the Council of Representatives. In addition to this arrangement, the quota for female representatives ensured their presence in the Parliament with a number of 82 seats, or 25%. 12 of the total amount of seats, including 1 minority component seat for the Council of Representatives, were elected in the Dohuk Governorate. Iraqis in the autonomous Kurdish Region head to the polls not only to select the members of the Council of Representatives, but also to elect new representatives to the three governorate councils; namely the Dohuk, Sulaimaniya and Erbil Governorates in Iraqi Kurdistan. Kurdish parties thus competed with a double task: to ensure as many candidates as possible both to the governorate councils, which jointly have 90 seats in total with 9 seats reserved for minority components, and to ensure they deliver members to the Iraqi Council of Representatives. The joint UNPO-ACE Election Observation Mission (EOM) observed the process of both of the above-mentioned elections in the city of Dohuk, the capital of the Dohuk Governorate, located in Iraqi Kurdistan in northern Iraq. In Dohuk (Syriac: Nohadra), 264 polling stations were arranged for 612.065 registered voters. 30 different observations were made in polling stations across 18 different polling centers by the EOM. The duties and principles of the observation teams were regulated by Iraqi and Kurdish electoral law, reflected by the regulations of the Independent High Electoral Commission. Both the positive observations and the irregularities the EOM noticed are described in full in this report and are believed to contribute to the increasing efforts of Independent High Electoral Commission to implement fair and transparent elections. However, while presenting the observations, it should be stated that it is not intended to underestimate the obstacles and complexities that are faced by the responsible authorities in the electoral process. The efforts of IHEC and their professionalism are certainly believed by the EOM as important developments that will promote more political participation and democracy in the country. Therefore, the EOM congratulates the Iraqi Independent High Electoral Commission for conducting two elections on the same day across 18 provinces in the country. Read the report here.