KYRGYZ COURT CONFIRMS ELECTION LEGITIMACY AMID

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BISHKEK 000831 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/CEN E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KG SUBJECT: KYRGYZ COURT CONFIRMS ELECTION LEGITIMACY AMID FURTHER PROTESTS REF: A. BISHKEK 812 ¶B. BISHKEK 810 BISHKEK 00000831 001.2 OF 002 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: On July 30, the Constitutional Court declared the July 23 presidential election to be legitimate while the opposition continued to hold protests and denounce the election process and results. The authorities quickly suppressed opposition rallies and marches and arrested 67 protesters. The opposition canceled a subsequent march to the Issyk-Kul Oblast for fear of further arrests. Kyrgyz civil society representatives criticized the government's actions against demonstrators and, in an act of defiance, conducted their own protest, resulting in their arrest. End Summary. CONSTITUTIONAL COURT: PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION LEGITIMATE -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) On July 30, the Constitutional Court proclaimed the July 23 presidential election to be legitimate and confirmed the election results. (Note: This was the final step in the election process and clears the way for the presidential inauguration, scheduled for August 2. End note.) The Constitutional Court also rejected an appeal by Bakyt Beshimov, Member of Parliament and presidential campaign manager for Almazbek Atambayev, for the court to pronounce the election unconstitutional. PROTESTS QUICKLY SUPPRESSED BY AUTHORITIES -------------- ¶3. (SBU) On July 29, supporters of Almazbek Atambayev, leader of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) and former presidential hopeful, gathered in four locations in and around Bishkek in protest to the election results and all but one rally were quickly suppressed by the Kyrgyz authorities. Atambayev addressed a crowd of up to 200 supporters during a rally in front of his Bishkek headquarters while dozens of Ministry of Interior (MVD) officers observed from a distance. In other rallies, protesters gathered on the outskirts of Bishkek and attempted to march to the city center. MVD officers in riot gear blocked the marches and arrested many of the protesters. SWIFT TRIALS FOR ARRESTED PROTESTERS -------------- ¶4. (SBU) The protesters faced swift prosecution and received small fines or short prison sentences. According to Aziza Abdurasulova of the human rights NGO Kylym Shamy, and confirmed by MVD officials, the police arrested 45 of the 80 protesters near the Kudaiberghen auto market, as they attempted to march to Bishkek. The authorities also ended a protest in the Besh-Kungei village and arrested 22 of the 120 protesters. The MVD bused the detainees to a Bishkek military commandant facility, where prosecutors and judges tried and convicted the protesters. Although it is unclear why the judges conducted trials at the military facility, rights activists speculated that the government attempted to hide the arrests and convictions. Prosecutors charged the protesters with minor violations, such as civil disobedience and participation in illegal demonstrations. While some protesters were acquitted, others faced a minor fine or up to 15 days in prison. ATAMBAYEV MARCH TO ISSYK-KUL CANCELED -------------- ¶5. (SBU) On July 30, Atambayev addressed a rally in front of the SDPK headquarters in Bishkek and canceled the planned march to Balykchy. Supporters had scheduled a march to the town on the western edge of Lake Issyk-Kul to demand the release of 12 SDPK supporters arrested on July 23 for BISHKEK 00000831 002.2 OF 002 protesting irregularities at a polling station. Atambayev, in an attempt to prevent further arrests, requested that the demonstrators disperse and announced that he and a team of opposition leaders would drive to Balykchy to secure the release of the SDPK supporters. CIVIL SOCIETY GETS INVOLVED...THEN GETS ARRESTED -------------- --- ¶5. (SBU) During a July 30 press conference, human rights activists accused the government of unlawfully detaining and abusing the July 29 protesters. Tolekan Ismailova of Citizens Against Corruption, Asiya Sasykbayeva and Gulnara Jurabayeva of Interbilim, along with Abdurasulova, claimed that the detainees were unlawfully held in the military facility and tried without the presence of lawyers. They said that military guards prevented access to the detainees requested by OSCE representatives, the Ombudsman, and NGO leaders. The rights activists also accused the MVD abusing some of the prisoners and displayed photos of their injuries. Several hours later, police arrested the same four activists for picketing in front of the White House. No further information was available about their detention. MCCORMICK