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Protesters in Kyrgyzstan storm government buildings, free former president
Protesters stormed important administrative buildings in the capital, Bishkek, in Kyrgyzstan of Central Asia, after the parliamentary elections. Some of them are reported to have broken into the White House, where the office of President Sooronbay Dscheenbekov and parliament are located. The Akipress news agency reported this early Tuesday. Furthermore, supporters of the imprisoned former president Almasbek Atambayev are said to have released the 64-year-old from a prison run by the National Security Committee.
The unrest in the former Soviet republic began on Monday when thousands protested against manipulation in the weekend’s parliamentary elections. Protesters climbed fences to the parliament building and set cars on fire; The security forces used water cannons, tear gas and stun grenades against the crowd. After that, there were more than a hundred injured.
Former head of state Atambayev was sentenced to about eleven years in prison for corruption in June. It is said that he helped a convicted criminal escape during his tenure. The Social Democrat led the impoverished country from 2011 to 2017. In 2019, his supporters fought street battles with security forces when they were arrested.
Kyrgyzstan was for a time an island of democracy amid authoritarian states in Central Asia. In Sunday’s elections, there should have been manipulations like buying votes. (sda / dpa)
