Roughly 1000 supporters of the Issyk Kul businessman Urmat Baryktabasov gathered at the Old Square in central Bishkek today. But this modest gathering soon assumed secondary importance to events near the village of Kirgshelk, where supporters of Baryktabasov clashed with law enforcement officers stationed at a heavily reinforced roadblock.
The organizers of the meeting in favour of Urmat Baryktabasov had expected a higher turnout. An optimistic estimate of 6,000 participants had been mooted on the website belonging to Barktabasov’s political party, ‘Flag of my Homeland’.
The reduced crowd was due in no small part to the presence of the police roadblock near Kirgshelk. According to Ivan Groshev, an eyewitness, the roadblock was initially composed of four combat infantry vehicles in addition to police cars, whilst two helicopters circled in the air above.
Meeting the roadblock was a crowd of Baryktabasov supporters. Groshev described “Five large buses” in addition to a “pile of cars and vans”.
By 13.00, law enforcement forces at the roadblock had entered into negotiations with Baryktabasov’s supporters. Explaining their position and the extent to which the roadblock had been reinforced, the Ministry of Internal Affairs told a correspondant for Kloop.kg that “operational information” suggesting that some supporters may have been carrying weapons had prompted such a response.
“There was operational information that some of the people who have arrived at the rally in Bishkek have guns,” an MIA press officer related. Yet according to him, no weapons were detected during stop and searches along the highway between the capital and Lake Issyk Kul.
Unsuccessful Negotiations
Initial reports from the Law Enforcement Officers at the scene suggested that negotiations had concluded “successfully” and that Baryktabasov’s supporters had pledged not to disturb order in the region. Yet Akipress carried information that Baryktabasov was personally dissatisfied with negotiations.
At approximately 15.20, the businessman’s supporters began whistling loudly and moving in the direction of the roadblock. Shortly after, protesters clashed with law enforcement authorities. Stun grenades and tear gas were used as police attempted to drive the crowd down the road, eastward, in the direction of Lake Issyk Kul.
Kloop.kg coprrespondent Samat Barataliev reported that “two black jeeps without license plates” left the scene of the roadblock soon after the clash between the two sides occured. One of them was carrying Urmat Baryktabasov. Both jeeps headed in the direction of Baryktabasov’s hometown, Balykchi. By 15.45 the businessman’s supporters had largely dispersed and regular vehicles making their way between Bishkek and Issyk Kul had begun to populate the road.
Later, at an impromptu press conference held near Kirgshelk, law enforcement officers showed journalists a captured Nissan vehicle containing the personal effects of its driver, various calibre weapons and a grenade. However, hostilities had not completely concluded. At just after 17.00, according to Kloop correspondent Rinat Tushavin, a “minimum of 300″ Baryktabasov supporters once more clashed with police. Finally, law enforcement officers chased the crowd off in the direction of neighbouring village Novo-Prokovka, having attacked them with dogs and stun grenades.
Finally, at approximately 21:45 the Bishkek Police Department issued a release confirming the details of Baryktabasov‘s arrest and the charges against him.
He is wanted on the following counts:
Article 297 of the Kyrgyz criminal code – Publicly calling for violent change in the government.
Article 233 of the Kyrgyz criminal code – Organization of mass disturbances.
Article 241 of the Kyrgyz criminal code – Illegal acquisition, storage, transportation and carrying of firearms, ammunition, explosives and explosive devices.
“Supporters of Baryktabasova, many of whom were intoxicated, tried to force to break through the cordon by throwing stones at the police, thus provoking a military solution to the problem,” an internal affairs report clarified.
According to Ministry of the Interior chief Keneshbek Dushebaev, Urmat Baryktabasov was detained in the region of Issyk-Ata and is now being held in remand at the Ministry of the Interior headquarters in Bishkek.
Author: Chris Rickleton