( RIA Novosti ) - Police in Kyrgyzstan's capital have arrested about 20 people protesting against the results of Sunday's early parliamentary elections that saw a landslide victory of the pro-presidential Ak Zhol party.
Kyrgyzstan's main opposition party Ata Meken won no seats in parliament despite coming second, garnering 8.7% of the vote. According to election rules, parties must gain at least 0.5% of votes in each of the Central Asian country's six regions and two largest cities. The party failed to reach the threshold in Kyrgyzstan's second city Osh, by just a few dozen votes.
Police arrested protesters with banners saying "I don't believe you" in front of the Central Election Commission building. Among those arrested was France-Presse correspondent Tolkun Namatbayeva.
Earlier on Thursday, Ata Meken pledged to hold mass protests against the election results.
According to official election results announced on Thursday, two other parties - the moderate Social Democratic Party and the Communist Party - narrowly overcame the 5% threshold to enter parliament, and will receive 11 and eight seats, respectively.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev's party will have 71 seats in the 90-seat legislature.