Bishkek, 25 April 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Kurmanbek Osmonov, the chairman of Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court, submitted a letter of resignation to interim President Kurmanbek Bakiev today.
This was confirmed by presidential press secretary Avazbek Atakhanov, who said that Bakiev has not accepted the resignation yet.
Hundreds of people have been picketing the Supreme Court offices in the last several days, demanding Osmonov's resignation. They accuse him and the Kyrgyz judiciary of being used by ousted President Askar Akaev in falsifying the parliamentary elections on 27 February and 13 March.
Osmonov was not available for comment. On 20 April, however, he told RFE/RL: "If I felt...guilty, then I would write [a letter of resignation]. However, it also would not be right, if I left the judiciary in this [serious] situation. [Early] presidential elections are coming [on 10 July]. and the rights of many people would be left undefended if the judiciary were paralyzed."
Hundreds of people have been picketing the Supreme Court offices in the last several days, demanding Osmonov's resignation. They accuse him and the Kyrgyz judiciary of being used by ousted President Askar Akaev in falsifying the parliamentary elections on 27 February and 13 March.
Osmonov was not available for comment. On 20 April, however, he told RFE/RL: "If I felt...guilty, then I would write [a letter of resignation]. However, it also would not be right, if I left the judiciary in this [serious] situation. [Early] presidential elections are coming [on 10 July]. and the rights of many people would be left undefended if the judiciary were paralyzed."