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Incident

Twenty-four rioters injured in clashes with police in Kyrgyzstan - media

07 April 2010 00:32 (UTC +04:00)

Protesters, who accuse the country’s government of tightening the grip on power while failing to bring stability and economic growth, seized on Tuesday the Talas government building. Police dispersed the protesters with tear gas and reported that the situation had been taken under control.
The Kabar news agency said those injured were taken to surgery and trauma units of a local hospital. One of them is reportedly in a heavy condition.
Law enforcement agents have arrested several opposition leaders, including the leader of the opposition Ata-Meken party, Omurbek Tekebayev, the party’s vice-chairman, Bolot Sherniyazov, as well as all leaders of the opposition United People’s Movement.
Kyrgyz Interior Minister Moldomusa Kongantiyev said earlier on Tuesday that after the riots, all of the activities by the United People’s Movement are considered unlawful and any attempts to continue protests on Wednesday would be stopped. He said all the rioters would be brought to trial.
Almazbek Atambayev, the former prime minister and current leader of the Social Democratic Party, was detained Tuesday evening in his home. A journalist and a cameraman of the local television company StanTV, who were interviewing the politician when police arrived, were also detained. They were later freed, but the camera was seized.
Kyrgyzstan, where Russia and the United States both have military bases, has been in a state of constant instability since current President Kurmanbek Bakiyev came to power after the so-called tulip revolution, toppling his long-serving predecessor Askar Akayev in 2005.
Bakiyev’s party won most seats in parliament in the early December 2007 election after two years of political upheaval.