Kyrgyz Politician Detained In Troubled South

June 02, 2013

OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security has confirmed that political activist Medet Usenov has been detained by authorities.

Usenov’s arrest on June 2 comes after earlier reports suggested he had been kidnapped as he was leaving his home that morning.

Reports of Usenov’s abduction prompted 500 people to rally near the city administration building in Jalalabad.

The rally came after hundreds of protesters demanding the immediate release of three lawmakers on May 31 occupied the offices of the regional governor in Jalalabad.

The demonstrators announced that they had elected Usenov as their own "people's" regional governor.

Meanwhile, the situation has remained calm in the northern district of Jety-Oguz, where a state of emergency was imposed after protesters calling for the nationalization of the Kumtor gold mine clashed with police on May 31.

Based on reporting by Interfax, ITAR-TASS, and RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service