Kyrgyzstan: British mine worker 'arrested' over horse penis comment on Facebook

A British mine worker has been arrested in Kyrgyzstan for comparing the country's national dish to a horse's penis, according to reports.

Michael McFeat was apparently held after posting a picture of Kyrgyz co-workers queuing for a "chuchuk" horse meat sausage, with a caption likening the spicy dish to male horse's genitalia, according to the AFP news agency.

Mr McFeat wrote that his Kyrgyz colleagues were queuing for their "special delicacy, the horse's penis" during holiday celebrations, referring to the traditional horse sausage.

Workers were so incensed by his comments, a temporary strike was called at the goldmine where he works.

Mr McFeat faces "racial hatred charges", which carry a sentence of three to five years in prison under Kyrgyz law.

McFeat has since deleted the original post and has posted an apology on his Facebook page, saying:

A Foreign Office spokesman said: "We are in contact with the local authorities after a British national was detained in Kyrgyzstan and are ready to provide consular assistance."

The Kumtor open pit mine is the largest gold mine in Central Asia and its output accounts for more than one-third of the country's export of goods and services, according to its website.