Riots in the Streets of Kyrgyzstan
--wiki--
Long-term frustration in Kyrgyzstan, the perceived corruption and cronyism in the Bakiyev administration, in addition to a weak economy experiencing a recent rise in utility rates. In the days leading up to the riots a number of news outlets were shut down, following reports that were considered "damaging" to the president and his son, Maxim Bakiyev, who heads the new national Central Agency for Development, Investment, and Innovation. An arrest warrant was issued in early March by an Italian court for Eugene Gourevitch, an American who was accused of defrauding Telecom Italia. Gourevitch was at the time the managing director of a consulting agency that advised Kyrgyzstan's Development Fund, which in turn is managed by the Central Agency run by Maxim. The government soon began closing independent news outlets that reported on Gourevitch affair. Two newspapers were shut down on March 18. Radio Azattyk, the Kyrgyz-language service of RFE/RL, went off the air shortly afterward. The opposition newspaper Forum was shut on March 31, and the independent website Stan.tv had its equipment removed on April 1. (cont.)
Long-term frustration in Kyrgyzstan, the perceived corruption and cronyism in the Bakiyev administration, in addition to a weak economy experiencing a recent rise in utility rates. In the days leading up to the riots a number of news outlets were shut down, following reports that were considered "damaging" to the president and his son, Maxim Bakiyev, who heads the new national Central Agency for Development, Investment, and Innovation. An arrest warrant was issued in early March by an Italian court for Eugene Gourevitch, an American who was accused of defrauding Telecom Italia. Gourevitch was at the time the managing director of a consulting agency that advised Kyrgyzstan's Development Fund, which in turn is managed by the Central Agency run by Maxim. The government soon began closing independent news outlets that reported on Gourevitch affair. Two newspapers were shut down on March 18. Radio Azattyk, the Kyrgyz-language service of RFE/RL, went off the air shortly afterward. The opposition newspaper Forum was shut on March 31, and the independent website Stan.tv had its equipment removed on April 1. (cont.)
No comments:
Post a Comment