KYRGYZSTAN, Nov 30, (AP): Polls opened in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan on Sunday in a snap parliamentary election amid the arrests of opposition figures and the closure of independent media outlets. It is expected to cement the grip of President Sadyr Zhaparov, who has sought to suppress dissent in what was once Central Asia’s most democratic country.

The vote is being held a year earlier than scheduled, a move that officials have justified by arguing that the parliamentary elections would otherwise fall too close to the 2027 presidential elections. There have also been sweeping changes to Kyrgyzstan’s electoral system, with 30 constituencies electing three lawmakers each.

According to the Central Election Commission, 467 candidates are vying for the 90 seats in Kyrgyzstan’s one-chamber parliament, the Jogorku Kenesh. There’s also a gender quota system that requires at least one female lawmaker from each district. Analysts say candidates loyal to Zhaparov are likely to succeed thanks to the rapidly growing economy over which the Kyrgyz leader presides, fueled in part by Kyrgyzstan’s role in circumventing sanctions against Russia.

Kyrgyzstan, one of the poorest countries to emerge from the former Soviet Union, is a member of Russia-dominated economic and security alliances, hosts a Russian air base and depends on Moscow’s economic support. It was formerly the site of a US air base that was used in the war in Afghanistan. But Zhaparov has also sought to cement his position by cracking down on potential rivals.

"The suppression of the opposition and independent media, the growing economy, and Russia’s support guarantee the current ruling elite’s hold on power,” Emil Juraev, an independent analyst in Bishkek, told the Associated Press. "There is virtually no opposition participating in the elections. The elections will be very predictable and, as some have already described, dull.”

In the week before the elections, Kyrgyz authorities launched a wave of arrests, searches, and interrogations against opposition figures and journalists, a move that has been described by critics as politically motivated. Many of those targeted have been accused of calling for "mass unrest.” Kyrgyzstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs has reported the arrest of at least 10 opposition figures.