Together with him, his former adviser Farid Niyazov was acquitted. Several more criminal cases have been opened against Atambaev in Kyrgyzstan, in which he pleads not guilty. .jpg” alt=”Court in Kyrgyzstan acquitted ex-president Atambaev in the case of unrest” />
Almazbek Atambaev
A court in Bishkek acquitted ex-president of Kyrgyzstan (2011-2017) Almazbek Atambayev and his adviser Farid Niyazov in a criminal case on organizing riots in October 2020, 24.kg reports. Niyazov was released from custody.
Opposition protests began after the announcement of the preliminary results of elections to the parliament of Kyrgyzstan. As a result, President Sooronbai Jeenbekov resigned, and Sadyr Japarov, appointed to the post of Prime Minister, became acting head of state. After the protests began, the demonstrators released him from prison, where he was held on charges of organizing riots and taking hostages (subsequently, Zhaparov won the presidential election and led the country).
Atambaev was in a pre-trial detention center at the time the protests began on another criminal case— about corruption. The protesters managed to achieve his release, and on October 9, Atambaev and his supporters took to the central square of the Kyrgyz capital. The next day, employees of the country's national security committee again arrested the former president.
On June 16, the court acquitted Atambayev of two more criminal cases initiated against him— on the illegal issuance of passports to Turkish citizens and abuse of office during the construction of a school. In addition, cases of violence against law enforcement officers, organization of murder and attempted murder, hostage-taking and others have been opened against the former head of state. Atambaev denied all accusations against him and called his persecution political.