A protest march in southern Kyrgyzstan is building strength, according to local media reports. About 1,500 demonstrators began the march on June 12 in the town of Tash-Kumyr, headed for the regional capital, Jalalabad. Each day about 500 people are joining the march along the route, the Respublica newspaper reported June 14.
Among the protesters' demands are a full pardon for opposition legislator Azimbek Beknazarov, who was convicted by abuse-of-power charges that he says were politically motivated. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archives]. A Jalalabad court is scheduled to hear Beknazarov's appeal on June 18. The protesters could arrive in Jalalabad as early as June 15. EurasiaNet has obtained photos of the protest march. The photos accompany a chronology of the Tash-Komyr protest action as compiled by the Kyrgyz Committee for Human Rights.
June 4
After an unauthorized meeting in the village of Kerben, about 1,000 picketers go to the town of Tash-Kumyr with the intention of continuing protests over the case of the parliamentarian Azimbek Beknazarov. They also demand that those found responsible for the Ak-Sui tragedy in March [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive] are brought to justice.
June 5
The protesters are located at the 447-km mark of the main Bishkek-Osh highway, near a bridge over the Naryn river and Hydro Electro Station Tash-Kumyr.
June 6
The picket continues on the Bishkek-Osh highway, but people decide not to block the highway until the decision of the oblast (province) court. A group of Beknazarov supporters go to Jalalabad from the protest site to address the court and defend Beknazarov's innocence. In the evening the picketers decide to start a hunger strike the following day, and ask the city hospital to monitor the health of the hunger strikers.
June 7
The Mayor, the Prosecutor and the head doctor of the town Tash-Kumyr come to the bridge after 2 p.m. The Prosecutor officially cautions picketers to leave immediately. At that moment, the picketers block the highway, and then three cars of special forces show up. The protesters say they will stop blocking the highway if the special forces leave. The cars carrying the special forces turn around, and the highway reopens.
June 8
11 a.m., the local and the oblast law enforcement agencies arrive and started to arrest people. They starte to beat unarmed protesters; one woman's elbow was twisted "wrong side out." Kasymbek, the brother of Beknazarov, is beaten. In all, 48 people are arrested. The law enforcement agencies do not use guns, but they do use clubs and shields, and some people are taken to the hospital. At 7 p.m. the picketers block the highway again, demanding the release of the arrested people. Among those arrested are Tadjimamat Turdaliev, an assistant to Beknazarov and a Radio Liberty reporter.
June 9
The picketers open the blocked highway at night, and transport is allowed to move. People say that they will stay until the release of the leaders for whom criminal cases have already started. There are reports of young people in uniforms attempting to stir inter-ethnic tension in the town with shouts of "Russians go away!" and "We will beat Tatars!"
June 10
The Press Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) says: "The highway is not blocked and there is no barrier for the movement of the transport. About 20 people are continuing the picket near the bridge on 447 km of the highway Bishkek-Osh." About 40 residents of the district Bazar-Korgon in Jalalabad oblast protest in front of the building of the district administration. They are demanding the resignation of the President Askar Akaev, pardons for Beknazarov and Feliks Kulov, and the punishment of those responsible for the Ak-Sui tragedy. The picketers also protest against the decline of living standards and the increase of the tariffs on electricity. According to the materials of the MIA, the residents of the village Kashka-Suu join the picketers in Tash-Kumyr. Their meeting is held at 9:40 p.m.
June 11
About 800 people continue the picket along the highway Bishkek-Osh near the town Tash-Kumyr in the south of Jalalabad oblast. They demand the release of the picketers arrested on June 8. Parliamentarians Bektur Asanov, Azimbek Beknazarov and Duishen Chotonov meet with the picketers. Beknazarov tells the journalists that he will not leave the picket until the seven arrested people are released, including his assistant. The message of the state press service: "Prime Minister Nikolai Tanaev declared at a cabinet meeting that those arrested can be released only if the picketers peacefully disperse. According to Tanaev, none of the requests by Beknazarov's supporters can not be fulfilled. And the government will not let any illegal actions from the side of the picketers. Thus, the government is saying that the peaceful demonstrations are illegal. Tanaev also added, that all the arrested people must sign a written pledge not to participate in any illegal actions."
June 12
At 11 a.m., about 1,500 people from the picket in Tash-Kumyr moved to Jalalabad with their peaceful march. They have a bus and a lorry for the elderly people and children. They intend to be at the court for Beknazarov's case June 18.
June 13
The demonstrators are on their way to Jalalabad. In the evening they will be in Burgandy, tomorrow they will be in Bazar-Korgon and day after tomorrow they will probably be in Jalalabad. The car of the National Auto Inspection is going in front of the march, so the transport will not run over people. There are no incidents and people are going peacefully. There are six people arrested and one of them was released yesterday.
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