Protesters Seize Government Building in Kyrgyzstan

Demonstrations are growing by the day in Kyrgyzstan. The demonstrators are demanding that President Akayev take some action:

…President Askar Akayev must ensure that the Governor of Jalalabad State and the Province Governor resign, and (that the country) hold presidential elections earlier, and (the government) conduct the second round of the parliamentary elections in a fair and transparent atmosphere…

Recent information coming from the remote and impoverished Kyrgyzstan (map here) has been sketchy due to the fact that the government shut down the printing press days before the election on February 27th and cut the power at some radio stations. The press is back up and running on generators but news from this country is light. News just came out hours ago that protesters have taken over a government building in the southern province of Jalal-Abad where there were documented election irregularities:

Close on three thousand have rallied in a square in front of the regional administrative premises in Jalal-Abad, and another two hundred are on the premises. Protesters have seized the entire building, a local informant said to Novosti.

He refuted rumors of the crowd taking regional governor Sharipov hostage. “He’s free-he addressed a news conference a mere half an hour ago,” stressed our interviewee.

Meanwhile, central authorities specify the number of Jalal-Abad rallies as a thousand, and allege the regional administration is in its usual routine.

The rallies demand a step-down of rulers who put up with ballot paper juggling as the country went to the parliamentary poll, February 27.

Runoff elections for the 44 undecided seats of (the 75 seat) parliament are scheduled for March 13th.

I am continuing to update on Kyrgyzstan because I am a strong supporter of Freedom and believe that there are citizens in this remote, impoverished country who believe in Freedom, too. The MSM may not choose to put a spotlight on the demonstrations in Kyrgyzstan. But, I will. I believe Freedom anywhere is a worthy cause and I want to give voice to it!

Update: (5:00 PM) Instapundit just directed some “Freedom Heads” this way.

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Thanks for sharing!