Protests erupt in Kyrgyzstan after vote

Opposition supporters in Kyrgyzstan have seized several government buildings in the country's capital Bishkek and freed an ex-president from jail, local media reported on Tuesday.

In a statement on his website, Kyrgyz President Sooronbai Jeenbekov accused "certain political forces" of trying to "illegally seize power" in the Central Asian country and urged the opposition to get people off the streets. He said he had ordered security forces not to use firearms.

Mass protests in Bishkek and other cities broke out after the authorities announced early results of Sunday's parliamentary election. They attributed the majority of votes to two parties with ties to the ruling elites, amid reports of vote buying and other violations.

The country's central election commission had annulled the results of Sunday's parliamentary election, local news website 24.gk reported on Tuesday, citing a commission member.

Supporters of a dozen opposition parties took to the streets on Monday, demanding the cancellation of the vote and a new election. Police moved to disperse the crowds with water cannons, tear gas and flashbang grenades. Nearly 590 people suffered injuries in clashes with police and one person died, Interfax news agency reported, citing Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry.

The police operation failed to curb the unrest, and during the night the protesters broke into the government complex that houses both the parliament and the presidential office. Interfax reported that opposition supporters also took control of Bishkek's City Hall.

Atambayev freed

Burnt out cars littered Bishkek on Tuesday morning after protesters took control of the government complex, known as the White House, which briefly caught fire before emergency services put out the blaze.

Debris from inside, including government papers and office furniture, was strewed outside after protesters ransacked parts of the government building.

Another group of protesters went to Kyrgyzstan's State Committee of National Security, demanding to free former president Almazbek Atambayev, who was convicted on corruption charges and sentenced to 11 years and two months in prison. He denied all the charges against him as politically motivated.

Protesters also freed several former senior officials, including ex-prime minister Sapar Isakov and Atambayev's former chief of staff Farid Niyazov.

Atambayev served as Kyrgyzstan's president from 2011 to 2017 and was detained in August 2019. Security officers released him on Tuesday after negotiations with the protesters.

Jeenbekov on Tuesday urged leaders of opposition parties to "calm their supporters down and take them away" from the streets. He said he would meet leaders of all parties who had taken part in Sunday's vote.

Jeenbekov's supporters were gathering in the southern city of Osh, where his brother Asylbek Jeenbekov called for unity and order.

Earlier, members of several opposition parties had announced plans to oust Jeenbekov and create a new government.

Agencies contributed to this story.