Protesters in Kyrgyzstan occupied the parliament and government building in the capital Bishkek on Monday. Local media reported that. The protesters oppose the results of last Sunday’s parliamentary elections.
An eyewitness who took part in the occupation, but wished to remain anonymous, told AFP news agency that some 2,000 protesters broke through the gates of the government building and entered. Fires have broken out in various places.
Opposition supporters had taken to the streets on Monday calling for the resignation of pro-Russian President Sooronbaj Jeenbekov after at least ten political parties called for a repeat vote after large-scale voting was alleged.
The parliamentary elections last Sunday were won by two political parties, including that of current President Jeenbekov, according to the first results. Eleven parties did not reach the electoral threshold, these opposition parties accuse the winners of ballot box fraud and demand new elections. Independent observers also found irregularities at the polls.
During the protests, riots broke out between protesters and police, with officers deploying water cannons and tear gas. At least 120 people were injured and had to be hospitalized. About half of them were “law enforcement members”, according to the health ministry.
The protesters also broke into the headquarters of the State Commission for National Security (UKMK) to free former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev. Atambayev was president from 2011 to 2017. He became at odds with his then prime minister and current president Jeenbekov and was convicted of fraud this year.
President Jeenbekov wants to sit down with all parties that participated in the elections on Tuesday.
The Central Asian country of Kyrgyzstan, home to some 6.5 million people, has a history of political instability. In the past 15 years, two presidents have been thrown out of the saddle by revolutions.
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