Kyrgyz President Urges Purge Of Law Agencies

President Bakiev (file photo) 22 September 2005 -- Kyrgyzstan's President Kurmanbek Bakiev today called for purges in the country's law enforcement agencies, claiming they are rife with corruption.
Bakiev made the remarks at an emergency parliament session called after an unidentified gunman last night shot dead a lawmaker in the center of Bishkek.

The victim, 38-year-old Bayaman Erkinbaev, was also a wealthy businessman and the chairman of Kyrgyzstan's National Olympic Committee.

Addressing lawmakers, Bakiev today accused several of them of bribing police and other law-enforcement agencies.

Prime Minister Feliks Kulov leveled similar accusations, saying honest policemen are afraid to fight criminals.

Erkinbaev is the second parliamentarian to be killed in three months. In June, Zhyrgalbek Surabaldiev was assassinated in broad daylight in Bishkek.

Parliament Speaker Omurbek Tekenbaev today said he knew of the existence of a hit lit of lawmakers marked for assassination.

(AKIpress/Kyrgyzinfo/ITAR-TASS)

See also

Kyrgyz Police Reclaim Government Building

Kyrgyzstan: The Long Wait For The Law

NEWS AND FEATURES ON KYRGYZSTAN