KYRGYZ ELECTION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW BAKIYEV

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000810 SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ ELECTION: PRELIMINARY RESULTS SHOW BAKIYEV LANDSLIDE REF: A. BISHKEK 331 ¶B. BISHKEK 809 ¶C. SEPTEL BISHKEK 00000810 001.4 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Preliminary results from the July 23 Kyrgyz presidential election forecast a landslide victory for incumbent Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Leading opposition candidate, Almazbek Atambayev, withdrew his earlier calls for protests, but vowed to collect precinct protocols and develop a plan of action to challenge the results legally. Two opposition members of parliament along with 12 supporters, who were involved in a July 23 protest in Balykchi, faced interrogations at a district court. This cable should be read in conjunction with septel, which reports on the preliminary assessments of OSCE and other observer missions. End Summary. CEC RELEASES PRELIMINARY ELECTION RESULTS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On July 24, the Central Election Commission (CEC) posted updates to election results throughout the day, including completed precinct protocols with final polling station tabulations. Media reports indicate that 79 per cent of the 2.8 million registered voters cast ballots in the July 23 presidential election. The CEC reported the following division of votes for candidates: Kurmanbek Bakiyev (85.5%), Almazbek Atambayev (7.5%),Temir Sariyev (2.7%),Jenishbek Nazaraliyev (0.5%),Toktoayim Umetalieva (0.4%),Nurlan Motuyev (0.3%),and "against all candidates" (2.1%). As pledged by CEC Chairman Damir Lisovsky in April (Ref A),the "Shailoo" computerized vote tabulation system website continued to add precinct protocols detailing election results from individual polling stations throughout the day, with over half posted by noon on the day after the election. ATAMBAYEV OPTS FOR CALM APPROACH TO PROTESTING ELECTION -------------- -------------- ¶3. (SBU) United People's Movement (UPM) candidate Almazbek Atambayev backed down from earlier calls for protests and promised a planned response in the days ahead. Of the two election events planned by Atambayev and independent candidate Jenishbek Nazaraliyev for the evening of July 23 (Ref B),the concert took place without incident but organizers cancelled the Gorky Park rally. The concert in front of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) headquarters in Bishkek drew an estimated 500-1000 supporters and lasted for two hours before ending peacefully. During the concert, Atambayev and Nazaraliyev announced the cancellation of the Gorky Park event. The presidential candidates called for calm and stated that they placed all plans to hold protests on hold, while they gathered protocols and built their case against the Bakiyev administration and the CEC. They vowed to develop a plan of action in the coming days. SDPK PARLIAMENTARIANS FACE COURT INTERROGATION -------------- - ¶4. (SBU) Local press reported that SDPK parliamentarians Mirbek Asanakunov and Kubanychbek Kadyrov, along with up to 12 SDPK supporters, faced interrogations by the Balykchi district court following a protest that erupted outside a polling station. While only the General Prosecutor has the right to charge the parliamentarians, the detained SDPK supporters could face criminal charges of obstructing voters' rights, public disorder, and public calls to forceful change of constitutional order. OTHER CLASHES BETWEEN OPPOSITION AND ELECTION COMMISSION -------------- -------------- BISHKEK 00000810 002.4 OF 002 ¶5. (SBU) In southern Kyrgyzstan, local opposition party representatives face charges of "hooliganism" after disrupting activities at polling stations. Authorities detained two Ata Meken party representatives and opened a criminal case after the representatives allegedly assaulted two precinct election commission members in Kolot village in Jalalabad Oblast. In addition, police arrested a local SDPK representative after allegedly arriving drunk to the Karakulja polling station in Osh Oblast. The Ata Meken representatives face criminal charges of "hooliganism," while the SDPK party member faced administrative charges of "minor hooliganism." (Note: This cable should be read in conjunction with SEPTEL that highlights OSCE/ODIHR and other observer mission press statements. End Note.) GFOELLER