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Kyrgyzstan’s Ex-President Found Guilty in Crime Boss Case
In a dramatic turn of events, Kyrgyzstan’s former president Almazbek Atambayev has been found guilty of unlawfully releasing convicted crime boss Aziz Batukaev from prison. The verdict was delivered in absentia by the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek, as reported by TASS.
Despite the guilty ruling, Atambayev avoided punishment due to the statute of limitations having expired, confirmed his lawyer Sergey Slesarev.
“The court found Atambayev guilty in the Batukaev case, but no sentence was imposed due to the expiration of the prosecution period,” Slesarev said.
Previously, prosecutors were seeking an 11-year prison term for the former head of state.
Aziz Batukaev, a notorious figure in organized crime, was controversially released in 2013 under murky medical circumstances. His release sparked national outrage and triggered a years-long investigation.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyz authorities also reported thwarting a group allegedly preparing to incite mass unrest in the country.
