Hunger strike begins in reformatory schools of Kyrgyzstan

BISHKEK, March 25 (Itar-Tass) - A massive hunger strike began in six
reformatory schools of Kyrgyzstan on Friday, a representative of the
Kyrgyz State Service for the Execution of Punishment told Itar-Tass.
"Four of those six reformatory schools are maximum-security
institutions," he said. According to his information, the inmates are
demanding the improvement of living conditions. The State Service reports
that the protest action was planned in advance and was organised by
"negatively-minded inmates."
At the same time, officers of the Kyrgyz law enforcement agencies say
with reference to the current information, that the hunger strike is the
result of the activization of police efforts, aimed at destroying
organised crime groups. Some 100 active members of the organised crime
groups were arrested by the Kyrgyz police over the past three months.
Several days ago the police confiscated a money reserve of the crime
groups in a privately owned house, in the outskirts of Bishkek. It
amounted to 20,000 dollars in various currencies.
The personnel of the State Service for the Execution of Punishment was
put on high alert in connection with the incident. A special task group
was created for settling the conflict. Representatives of the Service say
that they have enough resources for bringing the situation back to normal.
Massive riots of inmates took place in some reformatory schools of
Kyrgyzstan five years ago, but they were rigorously suppressed by the
special task force of the Service and the Interior Ministry.