Charges under three articles of the Criminal Code were pressed against Bermet Akayeva, ex-president's daughter and a recent candidate for the parliament of Kyrgyzstan.

Interviewed by the local newspaper Vzglyad, Akayeva said she was accused of contempt of court, interference with effectuation of justice, and destruction of documents. Cumulative punishment may take the form of up to two years imprisonment. Akayeva does not expect to be let off the hook because "the investigation is clearly angling for conviction."

The Akayevs had escaped to Russia in the wake of the March 2005 events when the regime was toppled but Bermet returned to Kyrgyzstan several months ago to ran for the parliament. Akayeva was actually elected but lost her mandate when her opponent complained of what he appraised as gross violations of the legislation in the course of election. Bermet's brother Aidar was stripped of his status of national lawmaker too soon afterwards. Passing the verdict, the Central Electoral Commission referred to the fact that Aidar Akayev had never attended a single meeting of the parliament.

Defying the authorities clearly bent on keeping her out, Bermet aspired to return into politics. An emphasis was made on work with the media - both Kyrgyz and foreign. LentaCom.ru quoted Akayeva as saying once that "the next revolution in Kyrgyzstan will be Islamic." Ombudsman Tursunbai Bakir uulu was a representative of the forces "striving for it" [Islamic revolution - Ferghana.Ru] and the authorities were clearly unable to "exert control over the activities of missionaries and informal religious organizations."

Akayeva ascribes the harassment campaign to her father's past presidency and her own criticism of the new authorities of Kyrgyzstan.

When Akayeva was running for the parliament in May 2007, scientific community and Kyrgyz diaspora of St.Petersburg, Russia, appealed to President of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev pointing out that the head of state should have no valid reasons to want personal scores evened with the ex-president or a campaign launched against ex-president's daughter. Authors of the appeal urged Bakiyev "to stop the lawlessness of state officials who abuse their powers in the frenzy of servility and ardor."