OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Police in Kyrgyzstan's southern city of Osh have dispersed some 400 protesters who had gathered to demand the release of three opposition members of parliament.
Officials at the city's Interior Affairs Department told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that four police officers were injured in clashes with the demonstrators.
The violence came after city officials rejused to allow the protesters to set up traditional nomadic tents, or yurts, on the square, where they could hold a hunger strike.
Eighteen women have been on hunger strike in another southern city, Jalal-Abad, since October 8, demanding the three politicians' release.
Kamchybek Tashiev, Sadyr Japarov, and Talant Mamytov -- who are leaders of the opposition Ata-Jurt (Homeland) party -- were detained last week and charged with stirring public unrest for their role in violent protests by about 1,000 demonstrators in Bishkek on October 3.
Officials at the city's Interior Affairs Department told RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service that four police officers were injured in clashes with the demonstrators.
The violence came after city officials rejused to allow the protesters to set up traditional nomadic tents, or yurts, on the square, where they could hold a hunger strike.
Eighteen women have been on hunger strike in another southern city, Jalal-Abad, since October 8, demanding the three politicians' release.
Kamchybek Tashiev, Sadyr Japarov, and Talant Mamytov -- who are leaders of the opposition Ata-Jurt (Homeland) party -- were detained last week and charged with stirring public unrest for their role in violent protests by about 1,000 demonstrators in Bishkek on October 3.
