Former Kyrgyz Minister Cleared Of Libel

(RFE/RL) September 18, 2006 -- A former Kyrgyz deputy defense minister, Mels Bekboev, has won his appeal against a court ruling that he was guilty of slander.

Bekboev's lawyer, Bakyt Kurmanov, told the news agency 24.kg that a military court cleared his client of all charges.


On July 26, a lower military court fined Bekboev 10,000 som ($250) for criticizing Defense Minister Ismail Isakov's personnel choices in a newspaper interview.


(24.kg)