Guards securing a prison near Moldovanovka on 1 November (AFP)
4 November 2005 -- A Kyrgyz official today said the situation in Kyrgyz prisons is normalizing, with inmates slowly turning in their weapons after a series of riots at five jails left four people dead and several injured.
Kapar Mukeev, head of the penal department under the Kyrgyz Justice Ministry, said the situation is getting better. But he admits that some inmates still have firearms and that they "are not rushing to hand them over" to authorities.
Mukeev said the prisoners have been given a new deadline of 6 November to hand over their weapons. He said police will use force to maintain order.
Kyrgyz officials say four people were killed in riots that erupted in five jails over plans to transfer a jailed mafia boss to a strict regime prison.
(ITAR-TASS/AFP)