By empty (2/17/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

The Georgian parliament held a vote at a special session on Thursday to approve the country\'s new government led by Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli, as well as its action program. New appointments include Justice Minister Konstantin Kemularia and Finance Minister Valery Chechelashvili. All other ministers retained their posts in the new Cabinet.

By empty (2/17/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

A 20-year-old demonstrator jailed for his participation in Azerbaijan\'s postelection protests in October 2003 was found dead in his cell on 17 February. The demonstrator, serving a three-year prison term, was among over 100 sentenced for their involvement in protesting the election of President Ilham Aliyev. Although the official cause of death was initially reportedly as \"suffocation,\" a thorough investigation is under way.

By empty (2/17/2005 issue of the CACI Analyst)

In a nationally televised address on 17 February, Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev said that he intends to file a defamation suit against the opposition newspaper \"MSN,\" RFE/RL\'s Kyrgyz Service reported. The president called the newspaper\'s recent publication of materials about property belonging to him and his family inaccurate and defamatory; he stressed that \"the lawsuit will be withdrawn only if the newspaper publishes a proper denial of the allegations smearing me and my family,\" Kyrgyz Television 1 reported. Compounding the newspaper\'s problems, the heads of state-owned telecom, gas, and power companies held a press conference on 17 February to announce that they also intend to file suit against \"MSN\" for articles claiming that the companies are controlled by members of the president\'s family, RFE/RL\'s Kyrgyz Service reported.