Thousands gather for Kyrgyz opposition rally amid tight security

Police said up to 7,000 people have already gathered outside the government headquarters in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, to take part in an open-ended opposition rally, while the opposition's own estimates put the number of participants at 10,000.

BISHKEK, November 2 (RIA Novosti) - Police said up to 7,000 people have already gathered outside the government headquarters in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, to take part in an open-ended opposition rally, while the opposition's own estimates put the number of participants at 10,000.

Opposition leaders said they will go ahead with their planned rally Thursday and demand that the president step down after he backtracked on an agreement reached earlier this week to give parliament a greater say in running the Central Asian state.

They accuse Kurmanbek Bakiyev of failing to deliver on promises to crack down on corruption and raise living standards in the impoverished ex-Soviet republic since coming to power in 2005, following the deposition of his long-standing predecessor, Askar Akayev.

Between 25,000 and 40,000 opposition activists and supporters from across the country are expected to take part in the protest.

Security has been tightened in central Bishkek for fear of a new outbreak of violence, with hundreds of riot police on duty. However, Deputy Interior Minister Sherkoza Myrzakarimov assured that police "will not intervene as long as protesters comply with the law."