2020 Kyrgyz Revolution
The 2020 Kyrgyz Revolution, also known as the Third Kyrgyz Revolution, began on 5 October 2020, in response to the previous day's parliamentary election that was perceived by protestors as unfair, with allegations of electoral fraud. The results of the election were annulled on 6 October 2020. On 12 October 2020, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov announced a state of emergency in the capital city of Bishkek, which was approved the following day by the country's parliament, the Supreme Council. Jeenbekov resigned on 15 October 2020.
Background
Kyrgyzstan had faced two revolutions during the early 21st century, namely the Tulip Revolution in 2005 and the Kyrgyz Revolution of 2010. In August 2020 Kyrgyz president, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, indicated that the parliamentary elections would not be postponed despite the coronavirus pandemic. During the elections, several parties were accused of buying votes. Several journalists also reported that they had been harassed or attacked. Out of the parties that made it into parliament, only United Kyrgyzstan consistently opposed the incumbent government led by Jeenbekov.Political analysts have tied the 2020 protests to a socio-economic divide between Kyrgyzstan's agrarian south and more-developed north. Of the initial election results, 100 of the 120 seats were filled by southerners who supported Jeenbekov.
Timeline
5 October
The protests began on 5 October 2020, with a crowd of 1,000 people, that grew to at least 5,000 people by evening in Bishkek, the capital, in protest against the results of and allegations of vote-buying in the 2020 parliamentary election. After nightfall, following a police operation to clear the Ala-Too Square of protesters with tear gas and water cannons, protesters allegedly attacked police officers with rocks and injured two of them.6 October
In the early morning of 6 October 2020, the protesters reclaimed control of the Ala-Too Square in central Bishkek. They also managed to seize the White House and Supreme Council buildings nearby, throwing paper from windows and setting them on fire, also entering the President's offices. A protestor died and 590 others were injured. Following the protests, the electoral authorities in the country annulled the results of the parliamentary elections. Central Election Commission member Gulnara Jurabaeva also revealed the commission was considering self-dissolution.In the meantime, opposition groups claimed to be in power after seizing government buildings in the capital, and several provincial governors reportedly resigned. President Jeenbekov said that he faced a coup d'état, and told the BBC that he was "ready to give the responsibility to strong leaders".
Protestors freed former president Almazbek Atambayev and opposition politician Sadyr Japarov from prison. Likely due to pressure from the protests, Prime Minister Kubatbek Boronov resigned, citing parliamentary deputy Myktybek Abdyldayev as the new speaker.
7 October
Opposition parties were unsuccessful at forming a new government on Wednesday, 7 October. Following the resignation of Prime Minister Boronov, former lawmaker Japarov was appointed to replace him. The opposition parties rejected Japarov's legitimacy and put forward their own candidate for prime minister, Tilek Toktogaziyev. Japarov claimed that he was already the "legitimate prime minister" and that he was appointed by "the parliament's majority." Boronov's resignation, however, had yet to be confirmed by President Jeenbekov, and government websites continued to list him as the prime minister on 7 October.Crowds gathered to protest the nomination of Japarov and demand the resignation of Jeenbekov. According to the Ministry of Healthcare, no fewer than 768 people injured during the protests had been treated by the country's hospitals and clinics as of Wednesday morning. According to Reuters, at least three distinct groups were attempting to claim leadership.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz parliamentarians launched impeachment procedures against Jeenbekov, according to a parliamentarian from opposition party Ata-Meken, Kanybek Imanaliev.