The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek considered extension of preventive measure against politicians and activists accused of trying to organize mass riots in order to seize power.
The court remanded a blogger Ali Shabdan in custody and extended his arrest until April 20.
The defendant stated that he did not plead guilty. According to him, the investigators classified the materials because they have no evidence of the defendants’ guilt.
«They didn’t find anything, and then they labeled them as confidential. Now they don’t know what to do,» said Ali Shabdan.
The Committee for protection of Kempir-Abad reservoir was created on October 22. It includes activists, politicians and MPs. On the same day, in an interview with Kabar news agency, President Sadyr Japarov said: the authorities have information who was behind the rallies and marches on Kempir-Abad issue.
Mass arrests began on October 23. Authorities placed 26 people in jail on charges of preparing for riots.
A number of international human rights organizations such as the International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR), the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT), the Norwegian Helsinki Committee (NHC), the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (HFHR), Freedom Now and others issued a statement calling for the immediate release of politicians and activists arrested in Kyrgyzstan.
