1991 Nagorno-Karabakh independence referendum

1991 Nagorno-Karabakh independence referendum

10 December 1991 (1991-12-10)
Do you agree that the proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh Republic be a sovereign state, to independently determine the forms of cooperation with other states and communities?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 108,615 99.98% No 24 0.02% Valid votes 108,639 99.91% Invalid or blank votes 95 0.09% Total votes 108,734 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 132,328 82.17%

An independence referendum was held in Nagorno-Karabakh on 10 December 1991.^[1] It was approved by 99.98% of voters.^[1]

The referendum was conducted according to the "Temporary Regulation on the Conduct of a Referendum in the Nagorno Karabakh Republic" that came into force on 27 November 1991 during the session of the Nagorno Karabakh Council of People's Deputies. Trilingual ballot papers (in Armenian, Azerbaijani and Russian) were sent to all parts of Nagorno Karabakh, including the Azerbaijani-populated settlements, with a question: "Do you agree that the proclaimed Nagorno Karabakh Republic be a sovereign state, to independently determine the forms of cooperation with other states and communities?". It would be considered a pass if at least the two-third of voters with a turnout of at least 50% voted for it. From 132,328 citizens eligible to vote, 108,736 citizens or 82,2% of the registered voters took part in the referendum, with 108,615 people (99,89%) voting "yes", 24 (0,02%) voting "no" and 97 ballot papers considered invalid. The referendum was boycotted by the region's Azerbaijani population, which then constituted 20% of the entire population. A group of independent observers following the course of the referendum presented their conclusion in the act on the results of the referendum. The voting process was covered by reporters from Russia and France, and a number of other periodicals and agencies, as well as TV channels of Russia, the United States and Bulgaria. On the day of the referendum, Stepanakert, and other Armenian settlements, came under fire with 10 civilian deaths 11 wounded reported.^[2]

Neither the 1991 referendum nor the one that followed in 2006 were recognised as legitimate abroad. Nagorno-Karabakh continued to be internationally considered as de jure part of Azerbaijan on no legal basis.^[3]

Results

Choice		Votes	%
For		108,615	99.98
Against		24	0.02
Total		108,639	100.00
Valid votes		108,639	99.91
Invalid/blank votes		97	0.09
Total votes		108,736	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		132,328	82.17
Source: Direct Democracy

See also

• 1991 Armenian independence referendum

References

1. Berg-Karabach (Aserbeidschan), 10. Dezember 1991 : Unabhängigkeit Direct Democracy
2. "The Referendum on Independence of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic | NKR". www.nkr.am. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
3. "Nagorno-Karabakh: between vote and reality". openDemocracy. Retrieved 10 December 2021.