Security forces Saturday dispersed a new protest of 1,000 people who were demonstrating against the arrest of opposition figures in the eastern Uzbekistan city of Korasuv, the Russian news agency Interfax reported. According to a witness, the officials used "threats and arguments" to drive away the crowd, but the situation remained tense in the city. The centre was now under the control of the police and military forces, DPA reported. The authorities have blamed the detained opposition leaders for organizing last week's bloody clashes in the city in the Fergana Valley in Eastern Uzbekistan. Meanwhile, about 500 Uzbeks tried to flee into neighbouring Kyrgyzstan overnight, prompting Kyrgyzstan's border forces to announce tighter controls in the region. Kyrgyzstan's vice premier Felix Kulov said Saturday in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek that refugees would be allowed into the country but not beyond refugee camps in the border area. The move was intended "to prevent bandits and fighters from penetrating into the country's interior," he said.
