Strange and Worrying Events in Kyrgyzstan

With this from RIA Novosti claiming that 'people [claiming to call] themselves the new owners of the Piramida TV channel, accompanied by law enforcement officers' have attempted to seize the stations HQ. The Director General says there has been no legal transfer of the station, and that the intruders 'said they planned to reform the channel and turn it into a purely entertainment one...[firing]... the top managers and some journalists."

ITAR-TASS has a little more on this, interesting to note only Russian agencies are carrying the story.

There can only be two possible angles from which this 'takeover' is occurring. Either it is a result of the continuing breakdown in Kyrgyzstan's rule of law, and irritated politicians/mafia have attempted to intimidate the station, or it represents the government's hand. Pyramid had previously been an independent television station, until its eventual takeover by, former President, Askar Akayev's son at the start of the decade. The editorial line currently taken by the broadcaster is unclear to me, as its site was taken offline several months ago. All I can therefore offer is speculation - that it has continued a pro-Akayev editorial policy. This would likely have agitated the authorities, and may be why this 'takeover' has occurred. If so, it is a worrying move towards the Putinization of the media.

Once more it is all speculation and no doubt clear facts will emerge in the coming days. Keep it here for the latest