The crowd of about 1,500 people had gathered to protest a decision made by election authorities to cancel the registration of Ryspek Akmatbayev in an April 9 parliamentary by-election, but the demonstrators decided to call off their action after Bakiyev urged them to wait for a court to rule on the matter.
Akmatbayev's registration was revoked on the grounds that he had concealed a previous conviction and violated residence qualifications. He was seeking to become a legislator following the killing of his brother, Tynychbek Akmatbayev, chairman of the parliament's law and order committee, during a prison riot when he was inspecting a penal colony last October.
Bakiyev told the crowd, which had also demanded the resignation of the Central Asian country's prime minister, that a court should rule on Akmatbayev's registration. "I believe the court will make the right decision," he said.
"People in Bishkek are scared of your actions," the president told the crowd. "I believe that some dirty politicians could use this situation for their benefit."
However, a representative for Akmatbayev said the demonstration would resume if the court did not rule in his favor.