A prosecutor in the trial of ex-president of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev has asked a court in Bishkek to sentence Atambayev to an eleven-year prison term, 24.kg reported on April 14.
A trial is currently taking place in Bishkek involving the former president of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev, along with several other individuals, in connection with the events in Koi-Tash in August 2019. After several hours of reading the charges, the prosecutor asked for an 11-year prison sentence for the former president,
The prosecutor reportedly also suggested sentencing Atambayev's former bodyguard, Kanat Sagymbayev, to 11.5 years in prison. Former head of President’s Administration Farid Niyazov, former MP Ravshan Jeyenbekov, and Atambayev's ally from the party, Farhat Baabiyev, were each requested to receive 10 years of imprisonment.
The case regarding the events in Koi-Tash has been combined with two other cases – one concerning illegal land plots and another regarding coal supplies to the Bishkek combined heat and power (CHP) plant.
Almazbek Atambayev served as the president of Kyrgyzstan from 2011 to 2017. After power was transferred to Sooronbay Jeenbekov, their relations soured, and Atambayev became part of the opposition. In 2019, his immunity was lifted, and criminal charges were brought against him, including the case of the illegal release of the criminal authority Aziz Batukayev.
On August 7, 2019, the special forces of the State Committee for National Security (GKNB) attempted to storm Atambayev's residence to bring him in for questioning. However, his supporters resisted, resulting in one special forces officer being killed and six GKNB officers being taken hostage.
The following day, law enforcement carried out a second operation and detained Atambayev. During the clashes, supporters of the former president set fires and threw stones at the security forces. During the events on August 7-8, 225 people were injured, including 91 Interior Ministry officers and 40 GKNB officers.
In June 2020, Atambayev was found guilty of the illegal release of Batukayev and was sentenced to 11 years and two months in a penal colony with property confiscation and deprivation of state awards. On February 13, 2023, Kyrgyzstan’s Supreme Court overturned the sentence based on newly discovered circumstances, and the following day, Atambayev was allowed to travel abroad.
On the evening of February 14, 2023, he was released from prison, and the next day, he flew abroad for treatment.
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