BISHKEK, Aug 18 (AFP) - A Bishkek court early Thursday granted a request by three Uzbeks who had fled to Kyrgyzstan after a military crackdown in their country in May and were seeking refugee status.

The three were appealing a decision by Kyrgyzstan's foreign affairs ministry not to grant them refugee status.

The ministry had based its refusal on accusations by Tashkent against the three Uzbeks of terrorism, organising mass unrest, killing policemen and membership in extremist religious groups

The foreign ministry now has one month to challenge the court's verdict, judge Zhirkalbek Norimbetov said.

The refugees fled in the wake of violence in the Uzbek city of Andijan on May 13, as gunmen took over the town, hundreds of civilians joined in anti-government protests and security forces launched a bloody crackdown.

Human rights groups have said that Uzbek security forces killed hundreds of civilians in Andijan, while the government has put the death toll at 187 and has denied causing any civilian casualties.

id-eh/bm AFP 180409 GMT 08 05

Copyright (c) 2005 Agence France-Presse
Received by NewsEdge Insight: 08/18/2005 00:10:46