Court to meet in Kyrgyzstan over mass shooting of protesters.

BISHKEK, November 17 (Itar-Tass) - Court hearing will be held in
Kyrgyzstan on Wednesday in the case of the mass shooting of demonstrators
in the central square of the country's capital in April. Charges are
brought against 28 former high-ranking officials. The republic's Supreme
Court told Itar-Tass that among them there are ex-President Kurmanbek
Bakiyev, his brother Zhanybek Bakiyev, who headed the State Security
Service, as well as the eldest son of the former head of state, Marat
Bakiyev, former Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov, former head of Kyrgyzstan's
security forces Murat Sutalinov, head of the Presidential Secretariat
Oksana Malevannaya and former Defence Minister Baktybek Kalyyev.
Many of them, including Kurmanbek Bakiyev, his son and brother, were
charged with mass murder with extreme cruelty in absentia, as they left
the territory of the republic almost immediately after the tragic events.
All attempts by the new Kyrgyz authorities to return them to the country
have failed so far. In particular, Minsk has twice turned down Bishkek's
request to extradite the former president.
For security considerations and because of the large number of
defendants, their lawyers, victims and their relatives, the hearing will
be held at the republic's Palace of Sports, which has already been taken
under reinforced guarding by police officers several days before the start
of the proceedings.
On April 7, several thousand supporters of the Kyrgyz opposition came
to the central metropolitan Ala-Too Square, protesting against the
policies of President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, whom they blamed for creating the
country's corrupt government. The protesters then tried to break into the
Government House, where the presidential administration was also located.
The military that were guarding the building opened fire for effect. As a
result, 87 demonstrators were killed and more than 100 injured. The
president at first fled to the ancestral village in the Jalal-Abad region,
and then completely left the Kyrgyz Republic and settled in Belarus.
The 2010 Kyrgyzstan uprising was a series of riots and demonstrations
across Kyrgyzstan in April 2010 that lead ultimately to the ousting of
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev. The uprising stemmed from growing anger
against Bakiyev's administration, rising energy prices, and the sluggish
economy, and follow the government's closure of several media outlets.
Protesters took control of a government office in Talas on April 6, and on
April 7 clashes between protesters and police in the capital Bishkek
turned violent. At least 88 deaths and over 1,000 injuries have been
confirmed. After the riots, President Bakiyev fled the capital in his
private jet south to Osh, while opposition leaders formed a new interim
government led by former foreign minister Roza Otunbayeva. In his southern
home base Bakiyev supporters turned out in large numbers to show support
for him and demanded his restoration to power. On April 15, a rally in
support of Bakiyev was abruptly stopped due to gunfire from unknown
sources. The same day, Bakiyev left the country for Kazakhstan, and then
went on to Belarus. He subsequently resigned as President, although he has
since renounced his resignation.
-0-ezh/gor