(Eurasianet) Hundreds of people ventured out into freezing conditions in Kyrgyzstan’s capital on November 25 to demand an investigation into years of corruption allegedly perpetrated by senior government officials.
The 90-minute rally, which was held on the main central square in Bishkek and proceeded without incident despite not having been officially authorized, was pointedly framed as an apolitical event that would not promote the cause of specific parties and movements. […]
Commenting on the demonstration on Twitter, U.S.-based scholar Erica Marat, who is from Kyrgyzstan, echoed Aitmatova’s remarks in describing the event as a departure from custom.
“This is what peaceful resistance against corrupt government looks like in Central Asia. No signs of provocateurs, no arrests, and a self-organized public demanding fairness and representation,” Marat wrote on Twitter. […]
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