Kyrgyz President Immunity Lifted

The interim government of Kyrgyzstan has said President Kurmanbek Bakiyev no longer has presidential immunity and has called on him to surrender, reports BBC News.

Interim security minister Azimbek Beknazarov said the country would use force to arrest Bakiyev if he does not give himself up.
Bakiyev was removed from office following violent protests. He has refused to resign and has been attempting to rally support in the south of the country.

"We have abolished his presidential immunity," Beknazarov was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

The president has maintained that he is still in charge, and has been operating from the southern city of Jalalabad, where he is planning to hold a rally on today.

Beknazarov said the interim government has opened a criminal investigation against Bakiyev but is waiting for him to surrender to the authorities.

"If Bakiyev does not come by the afternoon, we will begin an operation to detain him with the help of the special services," he said.