Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, July 23 / Trend A. Tanayev /
Protest meetings will be held after scheduled concerts near the head office of the Kyrgyz Social-Democratic Party and Gorky Square in Bishkek. One meeting will start at 20:00, the other meeting at 21:30, opposition presidential candidate, Almazbek Atambayev, said at a press-conference.
He said that he holds a tougher opposition position. He does not recognize the authorities and will call on repeated elections.
During the press-conference opposition candidate Almazbek Atambayev said that 1,000 people gathered in Balikchi to protest against the elections.
"They gathered to express their discontent concerning the illegality and shots into the air. The police used force to break up the crowd and prevent possible clashes," he said.
He also said that two members of the Social-Democratic party have been arrested in Balikchi city in the Issik-Kul region. They were MPs - Kubanichbek Kadyrov and Mirbek Asanakunov.
Presidential elections are being held in Kyrgyzstan. The major candidates are current president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Temir Sariyev and opposition candidate Almazbek Atambayev.