A Kyrgyz court has sentenced ex-President Almazbek Atambayev to 11 years and three months in jail. He was convicted in absentia on numerous felony charges including illicitly enriching himself, illegally acquiring land, and mass unrest on the streets. The verdict, announced on Thursday, underscores the ongoing legal troubles facing the former leader who served as president from 2011 to 2017.
Atambayev is now jailed for his part in the violent turmoil that took place in Kyrgyzstan in August 2019. This discord resulted in one death and injured numerous others. Instead, he was arrested during a pre-dawn, military-style assault on his home. This event was covered extensively by the national and international media and was an epoch-making occurrence for Kyrgyzstan’s political environment. Protests sparked by the president’s announcement of austerity measures were amplified by the people’s dissatisfaction over his government’s performance and allegations of corruption.
Said land was obtained illegally and proved an incredible source of enrichment with corrupt earned money while he enjoyed the presidency. These charges represent what appears to be a continuing series of accusations against him since leaving office. In 2020, he was temporarily released during a popular uprising which ignited the collapse of his regime. Just months later, police officials flouted the conditions of his release and rearrested him. He was released for health reasons in 2023.
Since his release, Atambayev had been travelling to Spain for medical treatment, living abroad since. His absence from the sentencing hearing puts the feasibility of the sentence in doubt. As of today, he is still outside the long arm of Kyrgyz authorities.
In a recent interview, Current President Sadyr Japarov weighed in on the issue, arguing that the court’s ruling was too harsh.
“Six years have passed since the events. The situation has calmed down. I think the court could have been less harsh,” – Sadyr Japarov
Japarov’s comments suggest he might be open to granting clemency to Atambayev should he formally apply for amnesty. The prospect of such an amnesty would make the fledgling political balance in Kyrgyzstan even more tangled. The nation is still coming to terms with its former president’s commandership and constant corruption.
Atambayev himself remains elusive. This ruling further underscores deepening concerns over democratic governance and accountability in Kyrgyzstan. The case serves as a significant chapter in the republic’s turbulent political history and highlights the challenges faced by its current leadership.
