Kyrgyz Opposition Activist Detained On Rape Charge

Nurlan Motuev

BISHKEK -- The leader of Kyrgyzstan's opposition People's Patriotic Movement has been detained as a suspect in a rape case.

Bishkek police officials said that Nurlan Motuev was detained after a 21-year-old woman filed a complaint.

Police report that the woman accused Motuev of inviting her to his apartment on December 4 and raping her there.

Motuev was immediately detained and placed in Bishkek's detention center.

Moutev and his followers have organized a number of antigovernment protests in Bishkek recently.

There was no immediate reaction from his representatives to the charges.

With reporting by kyrtag.kg