Kyrgyz premier persuading protesters to vacate Jalal-Abad regional administration building
OSH. June 5 (Interfax) - Kyrgyz Prime Minister Jantoro Satybaldiev has come to the southern city Jalal-Abad for negotiations with the protesters who seized the regional administration edifice.
The protesters demand the release of convicted deputies of the Ata Zhurt opposition faction.
Satybaldiev told them he could not possibly influence the court ruling. "Only the court can release the deputies," he explained.
Supporters of the convicted deputies seized the Jalal-Abad regional administration building on May 31 and appointed Meder Usenov as "the people's governor." They demanded the release of deputies Kamchibek Tashiyev, Talant Mamytov and Sadyr Zhaparov convicted of a coup attempt on March 28, 2013, nationalization of the Kumtor gold mine and termination of criminal prosecution of the protesters.
Most of the protesters left the regional administration building but a group of mothers with many children chose to stay.
Party supporters said the protests would continue and the Bishkek-Osh road would be blocked again if the deputies were not set free.
Jalal-Abad city police chief Nurdin Nasyrkulov told Interfax on Wednesday the city situation was stable.
Shops, markets and public transport are working normally, and the police "are doing their best to prevent violations," he said. "The protesters are leaving," he added.