The crowd demanded that Umida Niyazova and Motabar Tojiboeva be freed and that the persecution of activists be stopped.
The leader of the nongovernmental organization Civic Platform, Alisher Mamasaliev, said that freedom of speech is endangered across Central Asia, and that "we are trying to say that the same danger exists in Kyrgyzstan, that there is a gradual return to the past as far as freedom of speech is concerned. So, this is a signal to all Central Asian countries."
Niyazova, who was detained in December, is accused of being connected to the banned Islamic group Akramiya.
Tojiboeva was sentenced to a prison term last year on financial charges.
THE COMPLETE STORY: Click on the icon to view a dedicated webpage bringing together all of RFE/RL's coverage of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
The leader of the nongovernmental organization Civic Platform, Alisher Mamasaliev, said that freedom of speech is endangered across Central Asia, and that "we are trying to say that the same danger exists in Kyrgyzstan, that there is a gradual return to the past as far as freedom of speech is concerned. So, this is a signal to all Central Asian countries."
Niyazova, who was detained in December, is accused of being connected to the banned Islamic group Akramiya.
Tojiboeva was sentenced to a prison term last year on financial charges.
Central Asia In Focus
Central Asia In Focus
THE COMPLETE STORY: Click on the icon to view a dedicated webpage bringing together all of RFE/RL's coverage of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
