Kyrgyz Demonstrations Over Alleged Customs Crimes

Protesters have gathered outside the parliament building in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, demanding the arrest of a key figure in a major RFE/RL investigation into allegations of organized criminality in the customs service. RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service, OCCRP, and the Kyrgyz news site Kloop reported last week about possible wide-scale corruption in the country's customs service and massive outflows of cash from the country. The protesters demanded the arrest of Raimbek Matraimov, a powerful former Kyrgyz customs official, who allegedly provided cover for these activities.