CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION REVOKES REGISTRATION

UNCLAS BISHKEK 000436 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV KCRM KCOR PREL KDEM KG SUBJECT: CENTRAL ELECTION COMMISSION REVOKES REGISTRATION OF MOB CANDIDATE REF: BISHKEK 419 ¶1. (SBU) On March 30, the Central Election Commission voted 10-0 to revoke the candidate registration of notorious mob boss Ryspek Akmatbayev. Akmatbayev is running for parliament from the Issykul Oblast city of Balikchy. The CEC decision comes only nine days after its March 21 decision to approve Akmatbayev's registration. Following the decision, Akmatbayev's lawyer immediately vowed to challenge the CEC verdict in the courts. ¶2. (SBU) The CEC voted 10-0, with one abstention, to revoke the candidate registration of Kyrgyzstan's most feared organized crime kingpin. In justifying the decision, the CEC claimed that Akmatbayev had not satisfied the five-year residency requirement, which mandates that all parliamentary candidates spend the five years prior to their candidacy living in Kyrgyzstan. The CEC cited as evidence Akmatbayev's own recent admission in court that he had spent most of the past five years hiding out from the Akayev government throughout Central Asia and Europe. ¶3. (SBU) Within hours of the CEC vote, approximately 300 protesters began demonstrating in front of the Balikchy Mayor's office in support of Akmatbayev. According to unconfirmed press reports, Akmatbayev supporters will also demonstrate in front of the Parliament building and White House in Bishkek on March 31. ¶4. (SBU) COMMENT: Akmatbayev will likely take this battle to the courts next, where he will presumably have little problem buying or intimidating a judge into ruling his way. But given the extremely high profile and political significance this case has taken on, there is no telling how it will eventually play out. YOVANOVITCH