Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev on Thursday surrendered to law enforcement after a two-day standoff between special police units that stormed his residence and his supporters who defended it
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 08th August, 2019) Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev on Thursday surrendered to law enforcement after a two-day standoff between special police units that stormed his residence and his supporters who defended it.Since Atambayev has been refusing to obey a subpoena in connection with a corruption case against him, special police units stormed his residence in the village of Koy Tash, located 12 miles away from Bishkek, on Wednesday. The situation turned violent, with the former leader's supporters repulsing the assault and preventing Atambayev from being captured. Over 80 people were injured in clashes, and one security officer was killed.
The Kyrgyz police and special forces attempted to storm the residence again later in the day, but at around 21:45 GMT police officers started to leave Koy Tash.
After police the residence, Atambayev's supporters said that they took six officers hostages. The authorities have denied this information. Meanwhile, a representative of the former president's office told Sputnik that the captured security officers were released on Thursday morning, adding that "no one has come to take them away, so we saw them to their colleagues ourselves."
Atambayev's office told Sputnik that around 200 police officers entered the premises again on Thursday with stun grenades. According to the office, about 400 supporters armed with sticks and stones repelled this raid.
In a statement following Wednesday's events, Atambayev praised the efforts of his supporters, who prevented him from being detained, and accused the Kyrgyz authorities of being ready to shoot people in order to silence him.
"The authorities are ready to shoot their people to muzzle Atambayev. I am immensely grateful to the simple Kyrgyz people who were able to gather and defend [me], not let [police] capture me. The authorities need to come to their senses; we are not the people who can live on their knees," the ex-president said.
Atambayev called on the authorities to not "shoot your own people," warning of possible "bad" consequences that could follow otherwise. Meanwhile, the special forces that participated in the first raid insisted that they used only stun grenades and rubber bullets during the operation.
Later in the day, Atambayev told reporters that his supporters did not use arms when repulsing the officer's advances but that he himself did shoot several times.
"My supporters did not even have a slingshot, lies are being spread on tv. I was shooting when the guys went to the third floor, but I was trying not to hit them," Atambayev said.
On Thursday morning, the former president said that he was going to organize a rally of his supporters in Bishkek later in the day, but his supporters canceled it due to new attempt by special forces to enter Atambayev's residence.
Amid the crisis around the former president, incumbent Kyrgyz leader Sooronbay Jeenbekov interrupted his vacation and returned to Bishkek, where on Thursday morning he met with the Security Council to discuss recent developments.
"Almazbek Atambayev flagrantly violated the constitution and the laws of the Kyrgyz Republic, offering tough armed resistance to conducting investigation permitted by the law," Jeenbekov said during the meeting, calling on the members of the Security Council to take urgent measures to ensure peace and security.
The Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office told Sputnik that it had opened several criminal cases against supporters of Atambayev.
"Supporters of the former president showed armed resistance to the authorities by using weapons and other items. In addition, violent riots were organized to obstruct the investigation. This fact is registered in the unified register of crimes and misdemeanors based on characteristics of crimes covered by Articles 264 (mass riots) and 266 (disorderly conduct) of the criminal code," the prosecution said, adding that it also intended to launch criminal proceedings on charges of murder, attempted murder, threats or violence against authorities, and taking of hostages.
Kyrgyzstan's State Border Guard Service boosted security measures at its facilities amid the clashes. While the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security warned against staging provocations in the country.
"Provocative messages calling on citizens to engage in illegal [protest] actions are currently being spread in social media and online," the committee said in a statement.
EAEU MEETING IN CHOLPON-ATA STILL ON
The crisis over Atambayev's detention comes in the run-up to the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council meeting. Heads of the Eurasian Economic Union governments are set to gather in the northern Kyrgyz city of Cholpon-Ata on August 9.
The press service of the Kyrgyz government said that the special operation in Atambayev's residence would not affect the meeting. Moreover, the Russian embassy also confirmed that preparations for the meeting were conducted according to plan.
