Free Republic

Bishkek, 23 February 2005 (RFE/RL)-- Supporters of an opposition candidate occupied a district administration office in Kyrgyzstan's northeastern Issyk-Kul Province today, demanding that authorities allow the politician to run in the country's parliamentary elections on 27 February. Also today, the International Helsinki Federation (IHF) accused Kyrgyz authorities of violating their OSCE commitments by interfering with the democratic process in the run-up to the February elections. The protesting occupants of the local administrative building are some of several thousand people participating in demonstrations in the Tong district of Issyk-Kul Province. A protester told RFE/RL that demonstrators also want the head of...