Kyrgyz Officials Arrested For Information Leaks

2 July 2004 -- Kyrgyzstan's National Security Service said today it has arrested 10 high-ranking government officials on charges of revealing classified information.
Security Service spokeswoman Chinara Asanova confirmed that the 10 are in custody but declined to give any further information.

Media reports in the country say the 10 were working in the Kyrgyz president's administration.

Boris Poluektov, first deputy chairman of the Security Service, tells RFE/RL that the 10 were arrested earlier this week on charges of disclosing classified information. But Poluektov denies they were spying for extremist organizations, as was reported by some media outlets.

"Criminal proceedings have been started [against the 10] on charges of disclosure of a state secret. They are from various ministries and departments. Some of them are not related to any ministries," Poluektov said.

The Security Service said it will release more information about the arrests early next week.

(Kyrgyz Service/AP)