Pre-Crisis Phase (August 31, 1991-September 17, 1999): Kyrgyzstan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991. Askar Akayev was elected president on October 12, 1991. Prime Minister Nasirdin Isanov died in an automobile accident on November 29, 1991, and Tursunbek Chyngyshev formed a government as prime minister on November 30, 1991. A new constitution was approved by the parliament (Uluk Kenesh) on May 5, 1993. Vice-President Feliks Akulov resigned on December 10, 1993. The government of Prime Minister Chyngyshev lost a vote of no-confidence in the parliament on December 13, 1993, and Apas Jumagulov formed a government as prime minister on December 17, 1993. The abolition of the parliament was approved in a referendum on October 22, 1994. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) established an election observation mission to monitor the referendum. Legislative elections were held on February 5 and February 19, 1995. The OSCE/ODIHR established an election observation mission consisting of 60 observers to monitor the legislative elections from January 26 to February 20, 1995. The International Foundation of Election Systems (IFES) sent observers to monitor the legislative elections. President Akayev re-appointed Apas Jumagulov as prime minister on April 5, 1995. President Akayev was re-elected with some 72 percent of the vote on December 24, 1995. The OSCE/ODIHR established an election observation mission to monitor the presidential election. Constitutional amendments increasing presidential powers were approved in a referendum on February 10, 1996. The OSCE/ODIHR established an election observation mission to monitor the referendum. Prime Minister Jumagulov submitted his resignation on February 11, 1996, but he formed a new government as prime minister on March 4, 1996. Prime Minister Jumagulov resigned on March 24, 1998, and Kubanychbek Jumaliev formed a government as prime minister on March 25, 1998. Constitutional amendments legalizing the privatization of land were approved in a referendum on October 17, 1998. Some 7,500 Kyrgyz refugees were in Russia in December 1998. Prime Minister Ibraimov died of cancer on April 4, 1999, and President Akayev appointed Amangeldy Muraliyev as prime minister on April 21, 1999.
Crisis Phase (August 21, 1999-August 14, 2005): On August 21, 1999, Islamic militants, mostly ethnic Uzbeks, led by Juma Namangani crossed into southern Kyrgyzstan from their bases in Tajikistan on their way to Uzbekistan. The Islamic militants took more than a dozen hostages, including four government policemen and four Japanese mining engineers, in the Batken District. On August 22, 1999, military forces from Kyrgyzstan participated in a joint military operation with military forces from Uzbekistan against the Islamic militants. Islamic militants captured 20 government soldiers near the village of Karamyk on August 26, 1999. The government of Kyrgyzstan requested military assistance from Russia on August 28, 1999. Russia n military aircraft and crew arrived in Kyrgyzstan on September 9, 1999. Government troops clashed with Islamic militants in southern Kyrgyzstan on September 18, 1999, resulting in the deaths of seven government soldiers and 15 militants. Government military aircraft attacked Islamic militants near the villages of Sai and Syrt on September 22, 1999, resulting in the deaths of some 30 militants. Most of the remaining hostages, including the four Japanese mining engineers, were released by the Islamic militants near the border with Tajikistan between October 11-15, 1999. Most of the Islamic militants returned to their bases in Tajikistan. Some 26 individuals were killed in the clashes between government troops and Islamic militants in southern Kyrgyzstan. The National Democratic Institute (NDI) sent an eight-member pre-election assessment delegation to Kyrgyzstan on January 27-February 4, 2000. The government barred three opposition political parties, including the Party of the Democratic Movement of Kyrgyzstan (PDMK) headed by Jypar Jeksheev, from participating in the upcoming legislative elections. Legislative elections were held on February 20 and March 12, 2000. The OSEC/ODIHR established an election observation mission consisting of 17 long-term observers and 115 short-term observers headed by Mark Stevens of Britain and Ihor Ostash of the Ukraine to monitor the legislative elections beginning on January 12, 2000. Nigmatulla Bazakov, a leader of the Uighur minority, was assassinated in Bishkek on March 28, 2000. Government police arrested Daniyar Usenov, leader of the opposition political party El Bei-Bechara, in Bishkek on April 5, 2000. The U.S. government condemned the arrest of Daniyar Usenov on April 5, 2000. President Akayev ordered the release of Daniyar Usenov on April 6, 2000. The OSCE/ODIHR issued its final report of the parliamentary elections on April 10, 2000. On June 15, 2000, Turkey pledged to give the government $1 million in military assistance. Government troops and Islamic militants clashed near the border with Tajikistan from August 11 to September 1, 2000, resulting in the deaths of some 40 militants and 27 government soldiers. President Akayev was re-elected with 74 percent of the vote on October 29, 2000. The OSCE/ODIHR established an electoral observation mission consisting of 16 long-term observers and 104 short-term observers headed by Mark Stevens of Britain to monitor the presidential election beginning on September 21, 2000. The OSCE/ODIHR issued a statement on October 30, 2000, which suggested that the “presidential election failed to comply with OSCE commitments for democratic elections.” Several thousand individuals protested against the results of the election on October 30-November 1, 2000. Some 31 government soldiers were killed in clashes with Islamic militants in southern Kyrgyzstan in 2000. Feliks Kulov, leader of the opposition political party Ar-Namys, was sentenced to seven years in prison on January 22, 2001. Islamic militants attacked a government police station near the border with Uzbekistan on August 1, 2001. Government police and demonstrators clashed in the Djalalabad region on March 17-18, 2002, resulting in the deaths of five individuals. Feliks Kulov, leader of the opposition political party Ar-Namys, was sentenced to another ten years in prison on May 8, 2002. Prime Minister Kurmanbek Bakiyev resigned on May 22, 2002, and Nikolai Tanayev was approved as prime minister by the parliament on May 30, 2002. Some 5,000 individuals demonstrated against the government of President Akayev in Djalalabad on June 17, 2002. Legislative elections were held on February 27 and March 13, 2005, and opposition political party candidates won only six out of 75 seats in the Supreme Council. The OSCE/ODIHR sent some 30 long-term observers and 175 short-term observers to monitor the first round of legislative elections from January 18 to February 28, 2005, and sent 82 short-term observers to monitor the second round of legislative elections through March 14, 2005. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sent 218 observers from seven countries headed by Asan Kozhakov to monitor the legislative elections. The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) sent 30 observers to monitor the legislative elections. The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) sent six observers headed by Serik Nasyrov to monitor the legislative elections from February 18 to March 14, 2005. Several thousand individuals protested against the government beginning on February 28, 2005. Three individuals were killed in political violence in Bishkek on March 24, 2005. President Akayev fled the country, and Prime Minister Tanayev resigned on March 24, 2005. Kurmanbek Bakiyev was appointed as interim president on March 24, 2005. A member of parliament, Jyrgalbek Surabaldiyev, was assassinated in Bishkek on June 10, 2005. Kurmanbek Bakiyev was elected president with 88.9 percent of the vote on July 10, 2005. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 33 long-term observers and 290 short-term observers headed by Kimmo Kiljunen of Finland to monitor the presidential election from May 2 to July 11, 2005. The EU’s European Parliament sent nine observers to monitor the presidential election. The CIS sent some 260 observers to monitor the presidential election. The SCO sent 15 observers to monitor the presidential election. The NDI sent 32 observers to monitor the presidential election. The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) sent 80 observers to monitor the presidential election. Kurmanbek Bakiyev was inaugurated as president on August 14, 2005.
Post-Crisis Phase (August 15, 2005-April 6, 2010): Thousands of individuals protested against the government in Bishkek beginning on November 2, 2006. The parliament approved constitutional amendments curbing presidential powers on November 8, 2006. The amendments included a proposal for a 90-seat Supreme Council elected through a proportional representation (party-list) system. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed the constitutional amendments on November 9, 2006. Prime Minister Felix Kulov resigned on December 19, 2006. The parliament approved Azim Isabekov as the prime minister on January 29, 2007. Prime Minister Azim Isabekov resigned, and Almaz Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) was appointed as prime minister on March 29, 2007. The constitutional amendments were invalidated by the Constitutional Court on September 14, 2007. The constitutional amendments were approved by 95 percent of voters in a referendum held on October 21, 2007. Prime Minister Almaz Atambayev resigned on November 28, 2007. Legislative elections were held on December 16, 2007, and the White Path (Ak Zhol) won 71 out of 90 seats in the Supreme Council. The Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) won 11 seats in the Supreme Council. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 14 election experts, 20 long-term observers, and 180 short-term observers headed by Nikolai Vulchanov of Bulgaria to monitor the legislative elections from November 21 to December 17, 2007. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sent 146 observers headed by Alexander Torshin of Russia to monitor the legislative elections. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev was re-elected with 76 percent of the vote on July 23, 2009. Opposition candidate, Almaz Atambayev of the Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK), withdrew from the presidential election on July 23, 2009. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 38 long-term observers and 210 short-term observers headed by Radmilla Sekerinska of Macedonia to monitor the presidential election. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sent observers to monitor the presidential election. The European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO) sent 20 short-term observers from 11 countries to monitor the presidential election. Prime Minister Igor Chudinov resigned on October 20, 2009, and Daniyar Usenov was appointed as prime minister on October 21, 2009. Members of opposition groups clashed with government police during anti-government demonstrations in Talas and Bishek on April 6, 2010.
Crisis Phase (April 7, 2010-July 3, 2010): Government police clashed with protesters in Bishek on April 7, 2010, resulting in the deaths of some 85 individuals. Following the clashes, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev declared a state of emergency and fled to the city of Osh on April 7, 2010. Opposition groups overthrew the government of President Bakiyev, and established an interim government headed by Roza Otunbayeva on April 8, 2010. President Bakiyev departed from the city of Osh to Taraz, Kazakhstan on April 15, 2010. Five individuals were killed in ethnic clashes near Bishek on April 19, 2010. Two individuals were killed in clashes in Jalal-Abad in southern Kyrgyzstan on May 19, 2010. Ethnic Kyrgyz rioted and attacked ethnic Uzbeks in the city of Osh in southern Kyrgyzstan beginning on June 9, 2010. On June 12, 2010, Roza Otunbayeva, head of the interim government, declared a state of emergency and requested military assistance from Russia. Russia responded that it would not intervene in the internal affairs of Kyrgyzstan. Some 400 individuals, including at least five government policemen, were killed in the ethnic violence in southern Kyrgyzstan on June 9-14, 2010. Some 400,000 individuals were displaced during the violence. A new constitution limiting the powers of the president and establishing a parliamentary (party-list) system was approved by 92 percent of the voters in a referendum held on June 27, 2010. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 13 election experts and and 14 long-terms observers from 19 countries headed by Ambassador Boris Frlec from Slovenia to monitor the referendum from May 21 to June 28, 2010. Roza Otunbayeva was sworn in as president of Kyrgyzstan on July 3, 2010.
Post-Crisis Phase (July 4, 2010-present): Parliamentary elections were held on October 10, 2010, and the Fatherland Party (Ata-Zhurt) won 28 out of 120 seats in the Supreme Council. The Social Democratic Party of Kyrgyzstan (SDPK) won 26 seats in the Supreme Council. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 18 election experts, 22 long-term observers, and 266 short-term observers headed by Corien Jonker from the Netherlands to monitor the parliamentary elections from September 7 to October 11, 2010. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sent 113 observers headed by Eugen Novozhilov from Russia to monitor the parliamentary elections. Government policemen killed four Islamic militants in the city of Osh on November 29, 2010. Almazbek Atambayev of the SDPK was elected prime minister and head of a three-party coalition government on December 17, 2010. Prime Minister Almazbek Atambayev of the SDPK was elected president with 63 percent of the vote in the first round of presidential elections held on October 30, 2011. The OSCE/ODIHR sent 14 election experts, 28 long-term observers, and 292 short-term observers headed by Corien Jonker from the Netherlands to monitor the presidential election from September 16 to October 31, 2011. The Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) sent 177 observers from nine countries to monitor the presidential elections from October 17 to October 31, 2011. The Council of Europe (CoE) Parliamentary Assembly sent eight observers to monitor the presidential election. The European Parliament (EP) sent seven observers to monitor the presidential election. Almazbek Atambayev was inaugurated as president on December 1, 2011. Omurbek Babanov of the Respublika Party (RP) was appointed as acting prime minister on December 1, 2011. Prime Minister Omurbek Babanov resigned on September 1, 2012 and Zhantoro Satybaldiyev was elected as prime minister on September 5, 2012. On February 12, 2013, former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who fled into exile to Belarus in 2010, was sentenced in absentia by a court in Kyrgyzstan to 24 years in prison for abuse of power.
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