"Due to numerous violations [reported] during the vote and the pre-election period, a decision was made by members of the Central Election Commission [CEC] to invalidate the elections," the government body's press service told Russia's TASS news agency on Tuesday.He also claimed his opponents were attempting to illegally seize power through election fraud.
Meanwhile, sitting MPs have called an emergency meeting scheduled for Tuesday, a parliamentary spokesman announced. Lawmakers will not be able to convene at the parliament building, and will instead use a Bishkek hotel as an interim venue. Scores of protesters have amassed overnight around the government complex that houses both the parliament and the presidential office.
On Tuesday, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov called on the country's Central Election Commission (CEC) to "carefully" review any possible violations in the contested race, suggesting the government could still void the result, while also urging a return to calm and the rule of law amid ongoing protests, which erupted on Monday evening.Meanwhile, protests on the streets became more violent , including arson and breaking the former president, Almazbek Atambayev, convicted of corruption, out of jail.
"Calmness in the state, [and the] stability of society are more valuable than any deputy's mandate," the president said in a televised address. "I suggested that the Central Election Commission carefully investigate the violations and, if necessary, annul the election results."I urge the leaders of political parties to calm their supporters and move them away from their places of concentration. I call on all my compatriots to keep the peace and not give in to the calls of the provocative forces. The peace of our country and the security of our society are the most important things.Opposition activists have accused the government of vote-buying and intimidation during last weekend's parliamentary election, taking to the streets to protest over what they've deemed a stolen race, demanding a new vote. The preliminary results showed only four parties (out of 16) passing the seven-percent threshold, two of them considered pro-government.
The White House in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has caught fire, with videos showing black smoke billowing from its facade. The blaze broke out shortly after it was stormed by protesters, alleging fraud in weekend parliamentary elections.
The blaze ignited shortly after the government headquarters were taken over by protesters, denouncing last weekend's parliamentary election as stolen and accusing the government of vote-buying and intimidation.
The protesters demanded the results of the vote - which showed only four parties passing the 7-percent threshold, two of them considered pro-government - be annulled and that new elections take place.
Footage has emerged showing the building, which is the seat of both presidential and parliamentary power, as it was consumed by flames overnight in the early hours of Tuesday.
The fire has enveloped several floors of the 7-story building, and plumes of thick black smoke could be seen swirling in the air. Fire crews were filmed arriving at the scene.
Shortly after storming the White House, protesters freed former Kyrgyz president Almazbek Atambayev, sentenced to 11 years for corruption, as well as his former chief of staff and ex-PM Sapar Isakov, who was serving a lengthy prison sentence on an array of corruption and embezzlement charges.
Comment: Navalny is no threat Russia and her citizens know it: Levada Center: Only 11% of Russians fully believe opposition figure Navalny was poisoned, just 8% blame government
OPCW has finally accepted an invitation from Moscow to send its people to Russia and will allegedly cooperate in their Navalny investigation. That said, Russia has good reason not to trust the organization: