From: Abraham Rein (ARein@sorosny.org)
Date: Fri Aug 11 2000 - 13:44:07 EDT
KYRGYZ PRESS TARGETS KULOV TRIAL JUDGE. In an editorial
published in its 10 August edition, the pro-government
newspaper "Slovo Kyrgyzstana" implied that presiding judge
Nurlan Ashymbekov may have been paid a large bribe in hard
currency to acquit former Vice President Feliks Kulov,
RFE/RL's Bishkek bureau reported. On 7 August, Ashymbekov
announced Kulov's acquittal for lack of evidence on charges
of abusing his official position while serving as National
Security Minister in 1997-1998 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," 8
August 2000). Ramazan Dyryldaev, chairman of the Kyrgyz
Committee for Human Rights, told RFE/RL that he believes the
decision to acquit Kulov was taken under pressure from the
international community by President Askar Akaev, to the
displeasure of other senior members of the country's
leadership. LF
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