MOSCOW, November 7 (RIA Novosti) - Three people hospitalized in the wake of clashes in Bishkek's central square were wounded by buckshot in the legs, a spokeswoman for Kyrgyzstan's Health Ministry said Tuesday.
Two people were also reported to be suffering from gas poisoning after riot police dispersed opposition demonstrators following six days of protest in front of the government administration building.
"Doctors continue to render aid to the wounded," Elena Bayalinova said.
A RIA Novosti correspondent has reported that the situation in the central square is now calm.
A Kyrgyz interior minister denied that Kyrgyz authorities used any weapons against the demonstrators, but said that they were ready to do so should there be any attempt to seize government facilities.
"Firearms were not used [at the rally], but should an attempt to seize government facilities be made, or if lives are threatened, we will use them," Sherkozy Mirzakarimov said.
During the day, a television channel broadcasting the rally was taken off the air, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
The NTS channel had been broadcasting the rally live without comment for six days straight before police used riot gear to disperse the crowd.
The opposition accuses President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and the government 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 on the back of a violent public uprising, or 'tulip revolution.'
His rule has been marred by economic problems, high-profile murders, prison riots, and disputes over the control of lucrative businesses, and the protestors have been calling on the president to either delegate some of his powers to the legislature, or else resign along with Prime Minister Felix Kulov.
Kyrgyzstan's government said earlier Tuesday it does not recognize the Constituent Assembly that opposition legislators formed to adopt a new Constitution to restrict presidential powers.
"The government does not recognize the Constituent Assembly that was formed in circumvention of the Constitution, and calls on people to remain calm and not react to provocations," the government said in a statement.
