The opposition in Kyrgyzstan has chosen a former prime minister as its candidate to challenge incumbent President Kurmanbek Bakiyev in upcoming elections.
Social Democratic Party leader Almazbek Atambayev addressed supporters after he was named on Monday. He repeated opposition charges the government is trying to fix the polls, set for July 23.
Atambayev has run for president twice before; once in 2000, and again five years later. In 2007, he served as prime minister to Mr. Bakiyev, but later broke with the president.
The opposition in Kyrgyzstan is fractured and has been hurt by the arrests of some of its members.
It has accused the government of intimidation. The president has strongly denied the allegations.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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