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Deutsch: Kirgisistan protestiert gegen die Blockade von Webseiten und ruft Euro...

About 50 activists demonstrated in Kyrgyzstan on 14 March 2010 in front of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, appealing to European organizations to support them in regaining access to independent news websites blocked by the state.

The participants also protested against the blocking of broadcasts of US-funded radio and television programs. Several websites such as ferghana.ru, a leading news website, and paruskg.info, a local opposition website, had been inaccessible for Kyrgyz Internet users for about a week and the protesters said the sites had been blocked by the state.

Critics of the Kyrgyz Government and President say the state is trying to block the websites as well as Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty's Kyrgyz service, known locally as Radio Azattyk, in order to shut down any independent news reporting.

"We demand that local authorities and international organizations take action over what is happening in Kyrgyzstan," stated Dinara Oshurakhunova, head of the For Democracy and Civil Society coalition, one of the organisers of the rally.

Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov declared for the press that he was unaware of any websites being blocked and Kyrgyz telecommmunications officials blamed the situation on a possible technical problem related to regulation policies in neighbouring Kazakhstan.

The participants in the demonstration said the websites had been inaccessible since a protest that took place on 10 March against the government decision to raise utility prices in the town of Naryn.

Kyrgyz activists call for Europe's help over websites (15.03.2010)
http://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKTRE62E2DB20100315

Kyrgyz activists rally in protest at block on US-funded television and radio broadcasts (15.03.2010)
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/breakingnews/kyrgyz-activist...