“After long negotiations, I decided to surrender”: ex-President of Kyrgyzstan Atambayev delivered to the republic’s Ministry of Internal Affairs

Law enforcers delivered the ex-president of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev to the main investigative department of the country's Interior Ministry. This was told in the press service of the ministry.

“He (Atambayev. - RT ) was taken to our investigative department. Here he will be interrogated, ”RIA Novosti quoted a representative of the agency as saying.

As the politician emphasized at the headquarters, the former head of the republic himself decided to surrender to the security forces after another attempt to storm his residence in the village of Koy-Tash.

“After long negotiations, he decided to give up. He was taken to Bishkek. His advisers Farid Niyazov and Kunduz Zholdubaeva are with him, ”RIA Novosti quotes a representative of the headquarters.

According to eyewitnesses, Atambaev’s supporters did not let the security forces convoy along the Bishkek-Koy-Tash road, and therefore the motorcade was forced to take a bypass road through the city of Kant.

Meanwhile, the headquarters of the politician said they intend to defend their leader through the courts.

“We will represent the interests of the ex-president and protect him from those violations that are allowed. The institute of protection should work at least minimally with us, ”Atambaev’s lawyer Sergei Slesarev told the agency.

He added that statements will be made about the actions of the authorities and law enforcement agencies on August 7 and 8, which the headquarters consider illegal.

“The detention of the ex-president, that is, the president who has terminated his powers, is generally impossible under our criminal procedure code. And the drive provides for retention. In this case, it is issued as a legal action, ”says Slesarev.

Events in Koy-Tash

Almazbek Atambayev was detained after another attempt to storm his residence, undertaken by security forces. Previous special operations were unsuccessful. Supporters of the ex-head of Kyrgyzstan fought back to law enforcement officers.

On Thursday, August 8, security forces managed to break into the territory of the residence by ramming the gates. According to eyewitnesses, about two thousand police officers and special forces took part in the assault. From the side of Atambaev they were resisted by about 300-400 people.

“A water cannon with a ram demolished the gates of Atambayev’s house. Security forces dispersed supporters with the help of smoke bombs, ”Kirghizia reported to Sputnik.

As a result of new skirmishes, the number of victims increased. So, five people with injuries of varying severity were delivered to the Bishkek Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics, the Kyrgyz Ministry of Health reported.

“At 18:50 (15:50 Moscow time - RT ), five injured persons arrived at the Bishkek Center for Traumatology and Orthopedics: four law enforcement officers with gunshot wounds and one civilian who suffered from a noise grenade,” a spokeswoman quoted Interfax as saying departments of Zhyldyz Aigerichinov.

The total number of victims as a result of the events of the last two days exceeded 70 people, one person - a special forces soldier - died.

Change of status

In connection with the events of the last two days, the current president of Kyrgyzstan, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, announced the change of Atambayev’s status from a witness to a suspect in a corruption case.

“If until yesterday Atambayev was invited to the investigator as a witness, now he will be treated as a suspect in a serious crime,” Jeenbekov said.

Earlier, the parliament charged the ex-leader of the country with involvement in corruption schemes during the modernization of the Bishkek thermal power station, the release of the criminal authority of Aziz Batukayev on fake medical certificates and other crimes. Also, based on the results of the vote of deputies, Atambayev’s immunity was lifted. In addition, he was deprived of ex-president status, which entailed the deprivation of his immunity from criminal prosecution.

After that, the former head of the republic was called three times to the Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs to testify, which he, however, ignored. The politician considers all the accusations against him “absurd”, and the actions of the authorities - political persecution. He stated this again on August 7 in an appeal to the people of Kyrgyzstan.

“I am ready to answer any question, because there was no corruption on my part in the Batukaev case. Sooronbai Jeenbekov is well aware of this, I told him myself, and this cynicism is amazing, ”Atambayev said.

Now, in connection with the events in Koy-Tash, the country's Prosecutor General’s Office has opened new criminal cases. So, in the Unified Register of Crimes and Misconduct, materials on the articles "Mass riots", "Hooliganism", "Murder", "Attempted murder", "Threat or violence against a government official", "Hostage-taking" are registered.