Azeri election marred by serious shortcomings: observers

BAKU (Reuters) - The vote that handed Azeri President Ilham Aliyev a third term was marred by serious shortcomings and failed to fully meet Azerbaijan's commitments to genuine and democratic elections, international observers said on Thursday. The election on Wednesday "was undermined by limitations on the freedoms of expression, assembly, and association" and by allegations of candidate and voter intimidation, monitors from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe said. (Reporting by Margarita Antidze and Thomas Grove; Writing by Steve Gutterman)