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Kyrgyzstan's Interim Government Plans to Put on Trial Deposed President


Kyrgyzstan's interim government is planning to put on trial the deposed president, some members of his family and former officials following the violence earlier this month that toppled the Bakiyev administration and left more than 80 protesters dead.

The leaders of the self-appointed provisional government are vowing to bring members of the former administration to justice.

The deputy interim leader in charge of security, Azimbek Beknazarov, says arrest warrants have been issued for family members and allies of the ousted president, Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

Beknazarov says the former president himself will face trial for the April 7 killings in the capital, as well as for other crimes, such as abuse of power.

Interim government officials say they are investigating 200 crimes allgedly committed by members of the previous government.

Bakiyev, facing strong pressure from the government which replaced him as well as the international community, fled the country after negotiations involving diplomats.

The Kyrgyz interim government says, with Bakiyev's depature, it now hopes wanted former high-ranking government officials will turn themselves in voluntarily.

They are accused of corruption and, in some cases, human rights violations.

Hundreds of loyalists to the former president are continuing to demonstrate in his southern stronghold. Reports from Jalal-Abad say protesters scuffled with the interim interior minister and broke into a regional government office Saturday.

The self-appointed provisional government here in the capital says Bakiyev faxed, from Kazakhstan, his resignation as president and it will seek his extradition for trial from wherever he tries to take refuge.

While the interim leadership attempts to take full authority in this mountainous and impoverished country of 5.3 million people, it is promising to quickly restore democracy.

Officials say they plan to unveil a draft of a new constitution in days and hold nationwide elections within six months.

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