Kyrgyz opposition says ex-election chief in hiding

BISHKEK — Opposition parties said Friday that the former head of Kyrgyzstan's election commission has fled the country after receiving death threats from the president's son in a dispute over upcoming elections.

In a filmed statement distributed by government opponents, a woman identified as Klara Kabilova said she had resigned her post as election commission chief after coming under pressure from the president's son, Maxim Bakiyev, to disrupt the opposition parties' campaign for Oct. 5 local elections.

"If something like this is happening to somebody at my level, then I can imagine what is happening to simple Kyrgyz citizens," the woman said.

But Damir Lisovsky, acting chief of the Central Election Commission, disputed Kabilova's account and said she had already been dismissed by presidential decree.

"We are deeply upset by Klara Kabilova's statement and we don't know why she has done this," he told reporters.

Lisovsky also accused Kabilova of unprofessional conduct and mishandling the commission's finances.

Critics of the government claim President Kurmanbek Bakiyev is attempting to manipulate the October vote to install representatives of his Ak Zhol party in local governments to stave off potential street protests this winter.

Electricity shortages and soaring food prices are causing widespread discontent in the impoverished Central Asian nation.

Bakiyev was elected after the March 2005 ouster of longtime President Askar Akayev. Since then, Kyrgyzstan has suffered political instability, deteriorating public security and budget deficits.

A total of 491 local government posts will be contested nationwide in the elections.

Political observers expect Ak Zhol to win most of the races.