Ex-President Atambayev’s detention recognized as legal

Bishkek, Sept.4, 2019. /Kabar/. The Bishkek City Court panel of judges recognized the detention of former President Almazbek Atambayev as lawful during the State Committee for National Security retreat. In addition, the court left Atambayev in custody until Oct. 26.
Atambayev’s lawyer said the former President remains silent as a sign of protest and does not answer the questions of investigators and judges.
The special forces of the State Committee for National Security conducted a special operation on Aug. 7-8 to detain former president Almazbek Atambayev, which resulted in clashes between law enforcement agencies and Atambayev’s supporters. During a special operation to detain the former president, one soldier of the special forces was killed, over 100 were injured.
Former president Atambayev, 62, is charged in corruption, including the suspected corruption during the reconstruction of Bishkek's thermal power station, the unlawful obtaining of land for building his residential house, and helping release Chechen criminal Aziz Batukayev during his presidency from Dec. 2011 to Nov. 2017.
On Aug. 8, law enforcement authorities detained Atambayev in his house in the village of Koi-Tash; he was placed in the pre-trial detention center until Aug. 26.
On Aug. 20, the Pervomaisky District Court extended his detention until Oct. 26 of this year.
Pre-trial proceedings have been initiated in connection with the riots in Koi-Tash, the killed special forces officer and the injured law enforcement officers.