Topchubek Turgunaliyev, Co-Chairman of the Erkin Kyrgyzstan (“Free Kyrgyzstan”) opposition party and former prisoner of conscience, was sentenced on 8 January 1997 to ten years’ imprisonment by a court in Bishkek on charges of “theft of state property” and “abuse of authority”. There is concern that these charges are without foundation and that he may have been punished for his non-violent opposition activities.
