New Memorial To Journalist Unveiled In Bishkek

An earlier monument to slain Kyrgyz journalist Gennady Pavluk was stolen in May.

BISHKEK -- A new monument to prominent Kyrgyz opposition journalist Gennady Pavlyuk has been unveiled in Bishkek.

The chief of the Kyrgyz presidential office, the Bishkek mayor, and Russian Embassy officials were present at the ceremony on December 10.

The first monument to the journalist was unveiled in October 2011, but it was stolen in May.

Pavlyuk, who was of Russian origin, died several days after being thrown from a building in Almaty in December 2009.

His arms and legs had been bound.

Pavlyuk's relatives and colleagues allege that the murder was politically motivated because he had joined the opposition movement against former President Kurmanbek Bakiev and his government.

A former Kyrgyz security service officer and two Kazakh citizens were found guilty of involvement into Pavlyuk’s murder and given prison sentences last year.