Kyrgyzstan’s Central Electoral Commission has declared the results of the parliamentary elections invalid. In the capital Bishkek, severe riots after the elections broke out, leaving one dead and nearly 600 injured. An opposition member and the ex-president were freed. The opposition demanded new elections.
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Parliamentary elections took place in Kyrgyzstan this weekend, with the majority of the votes going to two parties both linked to the Kyrgyz elite. Opponents think votes were bought. Several opposition parties did not recognize the results. The Central Electoral Commission has now declared the results invalid.
Monday, according to local media, about 4,000 people took to the streets. Cars were set on fire and security forces deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd. 590 are said to have been injured and one death.
Parliament stormed
In addition, several protesters stormed important administrative buildings in the capital Bishkek, including the parliament building. According to the Kyrgyz news agency Akipress, several political prisoners were released, including opposition member Zadyr Japarov and ex-president Almazbek Atambayev.
Atambayev led the former Soviet Republic from 2011 to 2017 and is serving an 11-year prison sentence after being found guilty of complicity in corruption for arranging the release of a notorious mob boss. However, the protesters do not want Atambayev to be president again, but want Jaraparov to take over the leadership of the country.
Deletion of the result
President Sooronbaj Jeenbekov asked the Electoral Commission to check the results of the elections. The former Soviet Republic has already undergone two popular uprisings and ‘knows better than anyone the price for peace and stability’, it sounds. Jeenbekov also calls on all law enforcement agencies to use their common sense.
At the same time, he accused the opposition of trying to seize power illegally. Political forces have used the elections to create unrest in the country, the president said. “They hit doctors and damaged buildings.” Jeenbekov also said he did not issue a shooting order to avoid bloodshed.
It has been restless in the Central Asian country since Monday. The reason is the parliamentary elections last weekend. According to some, they have been manipulated. On Monday, thousands of protesters took to the streets in protest. Cars were set on fire and security forces deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Photo: Abylai Saralayev / tass
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