Protesters in Kyrgyzstan seized the nation’s parliament building over claims of a rigged election.
The Central Asian country held a vote on Sunday in which 16 parties competed for seats in the Supreme Council, Kyrgyzstan’s parliament. Only four parties were awarded seats, three of which maintain close ties to Sooronbai Jeenbekov, Kyrgyzstan’s president.
The nation’s Central Election Commission annulled the results of the election.
A group of protesters on Tuesday were eventually able to gain control of the parliament building, known as the White House, along with several other government buildings. One part of the building briefly caught on fire before emergency services put out the blaze.
Former President Almazbek Atambayev, an opposition leader who was sentenced to several years in prison this year over corruption charges, was freed by demonstrators, who also released several other prominent figures.
Митингчилер Ак үйдө президенттин иш бөлмөсүнө чейин кирип кетиштиhttps://t.co/To5JxEY3Ci#Kyrgyzstan pic.twitter.com/HwXBJluuKp
— Азаттык радиосу (@Azattyk_Radiosu) October 5, 2020
The mayors of Kyrgyzstan’s two largest cities, Bishkek and Osh, said they will be resigning.
Jeenbekov has called the demonstrations an attempted coup, but the president’s office said he was willing to meet with leaders from each of the 16 parties. The president hinted in an interview with the BBC that he may be ready to resign.
“To solve this issue, I am ready to give the responsibility to strong leaders, no matter which group they belong to. I am even ready to help them,” he said.
It was unclear who was in control of the nation’s government on Tuesday.
