Monday, February 13, 2012

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz Parliament Rejects Speaker's Resignation

Omurbek Tekebaev addressing parliament today (RFE/RL)

BISHKEK, 20 February 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyz parliament speaker Omurbek Tekebaev remains in his post after lawmakers rejected his resignation, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reported.

TEXT SIZE - +

February 20, 2006

Thirty-four lawmakers voted for the resignation in a secret ballot today, while a minimum of 38 votes were needed.

On 13 February, Tekebaev told parliament he preferred to resign rather than to apologize for the comments he made about President Kurmanbek Bakiev.

There were calls for Tekebayev to step down after an independent television channel aired comments by the parliament speaker in which he referred to Bakiev as "a dog" and suggested the president "hang himself from the first tree."

RFE/RL Central Asia Report

SUBSCRIBE For regular news and analysis on all five Central Asian countries by e-mail, subscribe to "RFE/RL Central Asia Report."

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