BISHKEK -- A bronze monument to the late Kyrgyz opposition journalist Gennady Pavlyuk, who died two years ago after he was bound and thrown from a building, has been stolen.
A Kyrgyz Interior Ministry official told RFE/RL that the monument was most likely removed from its foundation late on May 20 or early the next day.
The monument was unveiled in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in October.
Pavlyuk, 51, who was of Russian origin, died several days after being thrown from a building in Almaty in December 2009.
His arms and legs had been bound.
His relatives and colleagues have alleged that the murder was politically motivated, as Pavlyuk had joined the opposition movement against former President Kurmanbek Bakiev and his government.
A former Kyrgyz security service officer and two Kazakh citizens were found guilty of involvement into Pavlyuk’s murder and sentenced to 17, 11, and 10 years, respectively, in October.
A Kyrgyz Interior Ministry official told RFE/RL that the monument was most likely removed from its foundation late on May 20 or early the next day.
The monument was unveiled in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in October.
Pavlyuk, 51, who was of Russian origin, died several days after being thrown from a building in Almaty in December 2009.
His arms and legs had been bound.
His relatives and colleagues have alleged that the murder was politically motivated, as Pavlyuk had joined the opposition movement against former President Kurmanbek Bakiev and his government.
A former Kyrgyz security service officer and two Kazakh citizens were found guilty of involvement into Pavlyuk’s murder and sentenced to 17, 11, and 10 years, respectively, in October.
