PORT AU PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) – The Provisional Electoral Council (CEP) has warned political parties and politicians that it will ban them for five years if acts of violence mar the second round of legislative elections in October.

CEP president Pierre-Louis Opont, in a statement in which he deplored the violent incidents that marred the August 9 first round poll, said that the council was prepared to implement the Electoral Decree of March 2, 2015 if representatives of political parties, their legal representatives, candidates or supporters are involved in criminal activities.

He said article 119, paragraph (c) of the Electoral Decree of 2 March 2015, states “In cases of flagrante delicto and recurrence, the Provisional Electoral Council take all measures in accordance with this Decree, for the purposes of […] c) suspension of all electoral contests for a period of up to five (5) years, the parties or political groupings found guilty.”

He said members, supporters and candidates claiming to belong those political organisations “committed abuses, on election day, compromising its smooth running” in a number of areas including Artibonite; Grand’Anse and Bouclier.

The CEP said it was appealing to all political parties and other stakeholders to respect the provisions of the Electoral Decree.

The second round of legislative elections is scheduled for October 25.

Earlier this month, the CEP announced it had disqualified 14 candidates who ran in Haiti’s first-round legislative elections over their suspected involvement in crime and violence that left at least two people dead.

The CEP said that the candidates, four of whom are members of President Michel Martelly’s HTK party, are accused of various crimes, including firing an automatic weapon near a polling station, ransacking voting centres, voting violations, removal of ballot boxes and armed aggression against an election officer.

The CEP, quoting the rules governing the elections, said the candidates could face prison sentences of six months to five years, fines of up to 100,000 gourdes (US$1,940) and the loss of civil and political rights for at least five years to 10 years.

More than 1,800 candidates from 128 registered parties are vying for 139 posts in the entire Chamber of Deputies and two-thirds of the Senate.