Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Kyrgyzstan

Former Kyrgyz President's Daughter Loses Seat

Bishkek, 16 May 2005 (RFE/RL) -- The Central Election Commission in Kyrgyzstan today removed Bermet Akaeva, the daughter of the former president, from her seat in parliament, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.

TEXT SIZE - +

May 16, 2005

The commission reviewed an investigation into voting in Akaeva's district during the February-March parliamentary elections. The investigation ruled that the elections in Akayeva's district were illegitimate.

The commission voted to cancel the results and revoke Akaeva's right to occupy the seat.

Akaeva's father was chased from power in a popular revolt in late March and is currently in Russia.

Bermet Akaeva returned to Kyrgyzstan last month to take up her seat in parliament. She has not commented on the commission's decision yet.

For more background on the crisis in Kyrgyzstan, see RFE/RL's dedicated website Revolution In Kyrgyzstan

Production and distribution of rap music is not officially banned, but it

Yo! Turkmen Rappers Flip The Script On Repression

For a growing number of Turkmen youth, rap music has become a way to express their daily struggles and inspire political change in one of the world's most oppressive countries. More

A woman relaxes underneath a photo of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov at the resort of Avaza.

Turkmenistan's Personality Cult 2.0

Turkmen Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov appears to be building a personality cult to match that of his eccentric predecessor. More

Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov, the father of Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov, in a September 2009 television appearance

Keeping Up With The Berdymukhammedovs

Reports say a police unit in Turkmenistan this week was named after the father of President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov. State-run media reportedly describe it as a gesture to honor Myalikguly Berdymukhammedov's years of service to Turkmenistan's Interior Ministry and "his efforts in educating the younger generation." More