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Kyrgyzstan's ex-president arrested over corruption scandal

Thursday, 08 August 2019 3:44 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 08 August 2019 3:44 PM ]

Kyrgyzstan's former president Almazbek Atambayev has been detained by security forces over corruption allegations.

Atambayev was detained in a major security operation on Thursday after clashes between his supporters and law enforcement left one dead and dozens injured.

His residence is located in the village of Koi-Tash near the capital, Bishkek.

The parliament accused Atambayev of corruption and stripped him of immunity from prosecution in June after he fell out with current president Sooronbay Jeenbekov, a former protege.

The forces managed to take him after breaking up a crowd of hundreds of supporters using tear gas and smoke grenades, Kyrgyz media reported.

Supporters of Kyrgyz former President Almazbek Atambayev surround a member of state security forces, who was injured during an operation to detain Atambayev accused of corruption, in the village of Koi Tash near Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, August 7, 2019. (Photo by Reuters)

Special forces failed Wednesday to capture the former president in a raid on his compound which left one officer dead and a police chief in a critical condition.

PressTV-Gunfire heard at ex-Kyrgyz president’s home

Kyrgyz security forces stormed the house of Almazbek Atambayev on Wednesday.

Since he lost his immunity, police have repeatedly asked him to come in for questioning, which he has refused to do, dismissing the requests as illegal.

The stand-off between Atambayev and his successor risks destabilizing the Central Asian nation, which hosts a Russian military airbase and is a major center for gold mining.

Atambayev, who helped Jeenbekov to power in 2017 but whose relationship with the president then soured, says corruption allegations against him are politically-motivated.

(Source: Agencies)

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