The disappearance of Tursunbek Akun caused international and Kyrgyz non-governmental human rights organizations to appeal to the Kyrgyz Government to facilitate and support the search for their colleague. However, Akun’s followers, led by his wife Gulmira Japarova, believe that the National Security Service (NSS) played a key role in his disappearance. The same story was repeated by Akun when he appeared after two weeks. Despite statements by law enforcement bodies, doubts about the participation of officers of the security services have not dissipated.

The National Security Service on November 22, 2004 celebrated the 80th anniversary of the service, and the results of its activity in the fourteen years of Kyrgyz sovereignty. In accordance with tradition, officers put wreaths at the statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the head of the feared Soviet Secret Police that fought the counterrevolution during the first decades of the Soviet Union. The celebration was stained by a fatal event in Osh at midnight on November 19, 2004. Four suspected extremists were arrested by security services, and one of the four detonated a hand grenade while being taken to the Interior Ministry headquarters. As a result, one officer and the suspected militant were killed, while the remaining three suspects managed to escape.

The Security services only declared that those arrested had been involved in the Tashkent terrorist act of 1999 and were planning another terrorist act on Kyrgyzstan’s territory. In the past year, 27 unsolved contract killings were registered in Kyrgyzstan. The most dramatic event was the murder in May 2004 of the Head of the Directorate of Malfeasance of the Interior Ministry, Colonel Chynybek Aliev. So far an investigation into the case continues, but the crime has not been resolved.

An increasing number of observers assess that the NSS has lost its capacity to carry out the orders of the government. The NSS nevertheless plans to further intensify its activity in the next year, ahead of the parliamentary and presidential elections. The NSS’s Head declared on October 27 that extremists will take advantage of election year to accomplish “their criminal plans”.

The Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HUT) religious movement is perceived by the ruling regime as a real threat to the government and state. Therefore, an order has been given to track and suppress the activities of the organization. Hizb-ut-Tahrir adherents intend to overthrow the ruling authorities and establish a Caliphate, initially on the territory of the Ferghana Valley and then across Central Asia. HUT’s ideas are gaining increasing popularity among the poorest layers of society that remain unsatisfied with the reforms conducted by the ruling regime. According to international organizations, over 60% of population is estimated by international organizations to live below the poverty line.

Thee NSS has become involved in watching religious leaders, and this has caused massive indignation on the part of the clergy. Parliamentary Ombudsman Tursunbay Bakir Uulu and international human rights organizations have interceded on behalf of the clergy, while the popularity of the NSS was again negatively affected.

On September 21, the security services of Kyrgyzstan reported that they had detained a large container of plutonium-237, a highly radioactive substance used in nuclear technology. In spite of the highly publicized event, the Russian counterparts that studied the given substance concluded that it was not usable for nuclear weapon purposes.

Kyrgyzstan’s President Askar Akaev has repeatedly criticized law enforcement bodies and especially the NSS for incompetence and corruption. Akaev also called for an active struggle against corruption. However, in spite of this, no criminal cases have been filed against officials for financial fraud or abuse of office. According to Transparency International, Kyrgyzstan is one of the most corrupt states in the world, enjoying a 122nd place out of 146 countries studied. The Special services seem reluctant to bring about change to the present situation in spite of growing criticism from all walks of life, including the President himself.