Kyrgyzstan annuls election result after violent protests, opposition claims power

Kyrgyzstan’s Central Electoral Commission said on October 6, 2020, that it had “invalidated the election results” of a disputed parliamentary vote that plunged the Central Asian nation into violence and political chaos. The October 4 election saw parties close to pro-Russian President Sooronbay Jeenbekov score big wins amid accusations of mass vote-buying campaigns. After violent protests following the vote, the opposition in Kyrgyzstan claimed to have seized power. The parliament reportedly appointed former lawmaker Sadyr Japarov as acting prime minister, hours after protesters freed him from jail.