Kyrgyzstan's Japarov: From prison to presidency

BISHKEK: Just over three months ago, populist Sadyr , who on Sunday claimed victory in 's presidential elections, was languishing in jail, mourning his parents and a son who all died while he was in prison. But an October crisis over a disputed vote saw him sprung from his cell by supporters and a court overturn his sentence for hostage-taking, as local power-brokers lined up to back his overnight leadership bid. Japarov's rise was so remarkable that it appeared to catch even Kyrgyzstan's key ally Russia off guard and fuelled speculation over the role that organised crime may have played in the high-speed events. Yet it was also typical of ex-Soviet Central Asia's most...