Presidential election draws continued criticism

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), an American NGO supporting democratic processes worldwide, on Tuesday issued a statement in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek that was highly critical of Sunday’s presidential election. The NDI noted the exclusion from the ballot of prominent opposition candidates, pressure on voters to cast their ballot for the incumbent [President Askar Akayev], interference by local authorities in the election process, and propaganda on behalf of the incumbent by most media outlets. Akaev received 74 percent of the vote, according to the official election returns. Tolikan Isimilova, executive director of the Coalition for Democracy and Civil Society, told IRIN on Friday that protests against the election in the southern town of Bazar Korgan were continuing and some 500 people were involved, down from 3,000 on Tuesday, blocking the main Bishkek-Osh highway. “People are afraid of the increasing number of police arriving from Bishkek but, although police were using violent measures and arresting local journalists, the protesters remained determined,” she said.