Atambaev may be released after trials

Ex-president of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambaev may be released after trial, current President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov said.

“Until the trials are over, I cannot interfere, now I do not have the authority to release him, only after the completion of the trial on the Koi-Tash events I will have such an opportunity,” Zhaparov said in an interview with Kabar News Agency.

Zhaparov said that he recently received Atambaev’s sons and explained them that after the completion of the trials, hewill have such an opportunity.

Zhaparov noted that the country’s authorities did not intend to interfere in the trial of the June 2010 events.

Case of the ex-president

Atambaev served as President of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017, and was stripped of his immunity in June 2019. Several criminal cases were initiated against him, including in connection with the riots on August 7-8, 2019 in the village of Koi-Tash, corruption and money laundering, illegal issuance of passports to Turkish citizens.

On June 23, 2020, the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek sentenced Atambaev to 11 years and two months in prison with confiscation of property in the case of illegal release in 2013 of crime boss Aziz Batukaev.

On June 16, 2022, Atambaev was acquitted of criminal cases on the construction of a school in the Kalys-Ordo residential area in Bishkek and the illegal issuance of passports to Turkish citizens. He was found not guilty of committing crimes under the articles “Abuse of official position” and “Corruption” of the Criminal Code of Kyrgyzstan.

On June 28, 2022, the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek acquitted Atambaev in the case of organizing mass riots in October 2020 due to the lack of corpus delicti.

In 2021, on behalf of the president of Kyrgyzstan, an investigation into the events in southern Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 was resumed. Five former members of the provisional government were charged under the article “Abuse of official position” of the country’s Criminal Code. Among them is Atambaev, who in 2010 served as deputy chairman of the interim government.

On June 10-15, 2010, in the Osh and Jalal-Abad regions in southern Kyrgyzstan, clashes broke out between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks, during which, according to official figures, 442 people were killed, about 2 thousand were injured. Some media reported more than 2 thousand dead, more than 20 people are still considered missing.

Source: Interfax,

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Sept. 23, 2022