Thousands of people gathered for an opposition protest rally in the southern Kyrgyz city of Osh ahead of local elections this weekend.
Kyrgyz Opposition Rallies In Osh
![RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service says more than 10,000 people took part in the March 1 rally.](https://gdb.rferl.org/23a61383-38b9-4c39-9d6a-9a7d426ccb66_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service says more than 10,000 people took part in the March 1 rally.
![Protesters backed Osh Mayor Melis Myrzakhmatov and criticized President Almazbek Atambaev.](https://gdb.rferl.org/7068b067-09f1-4b80-a27b-0823f6b70c8c_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Protesters backed Osh Mayor Melis Myrzakhmatov and criticized President Almazbek Atambaev.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/241a4634-e975-4aae-9760-213c4025ca6b_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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![Adakhan Madumarov, leader of the Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan party, addresses the rally.](https://gdb.rferl.org/bb538633-31c8-46ec-8d54-c4f05562efb9_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Adakhan Madumarov, leader of the Butun (United) Kyrgyzstan party, addresses the rally.
![The opposition Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party is strong in Osh.](https://gdb.rferl.org/ab6b5732-b479-4b7f-9d26-266d54b42e05_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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The opposition Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party is strong in Osh.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/3d80f68a-23bd-4021-b7b3-e35a6555b8b2_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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![Ata-Jurt party leader Kamchybek Tashiev also addressed the rally.](https://gdb.rferl.org/00f73d2e-cc1e-4ee0-822d-0ab55e5e0524_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Ata-Jurt party leader Kamchybek Tashiev also addressed the rally.
![](https://gdb.rferl.org/81c960ac-40a9-426f-87c1-208d008f80f8_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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