Ousted Kyrgyz President Bakiyev charged with organizing mass murder

BISHKEK - Three weeks after ousting President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, the interim Kyrgyzstan government has charged him with organizing mass murder linked with the country’s bloody unrest earlier this month.

Kyrgyz interim Deputy Prime Minister Azimbek Beknazarov said the interim government has adopted a legislation accusing Bakiyev of organizing mass murder and abusing power.

He said the legislation has also removed Bakiyev’s presidential immunity, and insisted the interim government would make a formal request for his extradition from Belarus to stand trial back home.A decree approving the extradition had been adopted by the interim government and the request would be sent to Minsk,” the Xinhua news agency quoted Beknazarov, as saying.

At least 85 people were killed in the protests that overthrew Bakiyev, whose security forces fired on the protesters as they stormed government buildings in Bishkek.

The interim government says Bakiyev ordered the police and soldiers to shoot.

After fleeing Bishkek, Bakiyev took refuge in his hometown of Osh and tried to regroup, but after being shot at, agreed to an internationally brokered deal to resign and go into exile. (ANI)