Elections in Kyrgyzstan: Sunday’s results overturned after mass protests

The Kyrgyz electoral authorities annulled the results of the parliamentary elections after violent protests.

The protesters stormed the parliament overnight and clashed with the police, demanding that a new vote be held.

Hundreds of people were injured and one person died, the Health Ministry said.

The electoral commission’s move came shortly after President Sooronbai Jeenbekov accused “political forces” of trying to take power illegally.

The protests erupted after only four of the 16 political parties passed the threshold to enter parliament in Sunday’s elections. Three of the four have close ties to President Jeenbekov.

In addition to the parliament, protesters broke into other government buildings and released several high-profile prisoners.

In a video speech early Tuesday, President Jeenbekov accused “certain political forces” of using the election results as a reason to “violate public order.” “They did not obey the law enforcement officers, they beat the medical workers and damaged the buildings.”

He said that “so far … he has taken all possible measures to prevent an escalation of the situation” and urged opposition parties to “calm their supporters and remove them from areas of mass concentration.”

He also said that he proposed a thorough investigation of any electoral violations. A short time later, the Central Election Commission said it had “invalidated the election results.”

Almaz Tchoroev of the BBC, in Bishkek, said the elections will now be held again, but it is not yet clear when or how they will happen.

The president remains in power and has influence, but it is not clear how much influence he still has, our correspondent notes.

Some 5,000 people gathered in Ala-Too Square in the capital Bishkek on Monday to demonstrate against the election results.

The protest was largely peaceful until evening, when a smaller group broke up and tried to break through the doors of the parliament building.

The police then used water cannons, stun grenades and tear gas to try to clear crowds from the main square and surrounding streets.

But the protesters later returned to the central square before storming the parliament building, known as the White House.

Video images shared on social media showed opposition protesters entering the complex, some climbing fences and others opening the main gates. Later, smoke could be seen coming out of the building.

The protesters also released detained opposition figures, including former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, who was serving an 11-year sentence for corruption.

The Health Ministry said about 700 people were injured, nine in intensive care and a 19-year-old man died.

Of the 16 parties vying for 120 seats on the Supreme Council, only four parties crossed the 7% barrier for elections.

The two parties that got a quarter of the vote each, Birimdik and Mekenim Kyrgyzstan, have close ties to President Jeenbekov, who was elected in 2017.

None of the established opposition parties won a seat in parliament and on Monday the 12 opposition groups jointly declared that they would not recognize the results of the vote.

They accused parties close to the president of vote buying and voter intimidation, claims that international observers said were “credible” and causing “grave concern.”

Some observers claimed to have seen, during the first hours of voting, some citizens with marked masks being handed out full ballots.