Violence Breaks Out During Appeal Against Kyrgyz Lawmakers' Sentences

BISHKEK -- Supporters of the jailed leaders of the opposition Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party threw shoes and plastic bottles at the judge and prosecutor during a court hearing on June 17.

The trial spectators also dragged a prosecutor by his collar.

Police ejected the violent spectators from the court building.

The incident occurred after the judge said he would announce his decision on June 24 about the prosecutors' appeal of the sentences for Kamchybek Tashiev, Sadyr Japarov, and Talant Mamytov.


The three were sentenced in March to prison terms of between one year and 18 months after being convicted of an attempt to seize power.

On June 17, the prosecutor asked the court to give them prison sentences of between nine and 10 years.

The lawmakers were arrested in October for their role in violent antigovernment protests in Bishkek.