A Kyrgyz court on Friday charged three opposition nationalist members of parliament with attempting to stage a coup after they led a crowd that tried to storm government headquarters in a protest over a Canadian-owned gold mine.
The charges followed a protest Wednesday during which demonstrators demanded that the state nationalize the Kumtor gold mine, Kyrgyzstan's flagship venture with Canada's Centerra Gold. The three lawmakers were detained by security police Thursday, and if found guilty, they face 12 to 20 years in jail. A trial is expected in two months.
(Reuters)
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