Criminal cases opened against the former head of state: What was he accused of?

To date, Kyrgyzstan has had six presidents: Askar Akayev, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Roza Otunbayeva, Almazbek Atambayev, Sooronbay Jeenbekov, and the current head of state, Sadyr Japarov. Each of them left a distinct mark on the country's history—some chapters unforgettable, others intentionally forgotten by segments of the population.

The country, a close neighbor of Uzbekistan, has witnessed various upheavals and controversies over the years. The tragic incidents in Osh and Koy-Tash serve as reminders of Kyrgyzstan’s turbulent political landscape. One of the central figures in these events was former President Almazbek Atambayev.

How did Atambayev rise to power?

Atambayev assumed the presidency in 2011, a year after the Osh events in June 2010, and led the country for six years. He became the first president in Kyrgyzstan’s history to voluntarily leave office after completing a full term. As the leader of the largest parliamentary party—the Social Democratic Party—he handed over power to his close ally Sooronbay Jeenbekov following the 2017 election.

However, not long after stepping down, criminal cases were opened against members of Atambayev's team. He was stripped of his ex-presidential immunity and accused of multiple serious and especially grave crimes. In August 2019, a dramatic special operation was launched to detain him in the village of Koy-Tash, Chui region. Special forces stormed Atambayev's residence, and gunfire broke out. Supporters of the former president resisted with stones, escalating the confrontation.

On June 20 of the same year, the Kyrgyz parliament adopted a resolution lifting Atambayev’s immunity and submitted it to the Prosecutor General’s Office.

Investigations revealed Atambayev’s alleged involvement in several corruption-related cases, including illegal land reclassification in Issyk-Kul region, suspicious reconstruction projects involving the Bishkek Thermal Power Plant and the National History Museum, as well as the illegal release of notorious criminal figure Aziz Batukayev. If convicted, Atambayev could face life imprisonment.

In response, Atambayev denounced the accusations as "absurd," asserting that he had a clear conscience and was prepared to answer for all his actions as president. Following the operation, he made a public statement:

“I address you with regret. Today, in violation of the Constitution, state forces came with weapons and opened fire on their own people just to arrest me, to silence Atambayev. They started with rubber bullets and ended with live ammunition. This is disgraceful. I am not a terrorist. Those gathered around me are not terrorists. At 7:30 p.m., people were taking selfies with me. Innocent citizens were injured.

Of course, the special forces were eventually repelled. You know how angry this nation is.

I’ve said many times that I am ready to give a written statement about the Batukayev case—officially, publicly, in the press. But the authorities are using our own people to suppress me. They kept firing. This is shameful. Once again, I urge the government: stop it!”

On August 8, 2019, President Sooronbay Jeenbekov convened a Security Council meeting, where he stated that Atambayev had blatantly violated the Constitution by resisting lawful investigative procedures.

The standoff ended with Atambayev’s arrest. His supporters clashed with law enforcement, resulting in one special forces officer’s death and 98 people being injured.

According to the then-head of the Center for the Prevention of Torture, Atambayev was held in a two-person cell and did not resist the actions of detention facility staff. He underwent medical checks three times a day.

“Doctors are monitoring his blood pressure, and necessary medication is provided. He is receiving legal assistance.”

Atambayev requested that the cell lights be turned off at night and asked for permission to close the door. In October, he refused to attend a court session on the Batukayev case. The court later extended his detention by two months during a session held in his absence.

While in custody, former President of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev made an open appeal to the people regarding the violent events in the village of Koy-Tash, which occurred on August 7, 2019.

“Dear compatriots! It has been three months since the illegal armed attack on my house by the special forces of the State Committee for National Security and the shooting of civilians who had gathered for a traditional meeting with the former president,” Atambayev wrote.

He noted that residents of Koy-Tash and nearby areas, angered by the actions of law enforcement, gathered around his house after learning about the shooting from the media. Despite the growing tension, security forces continued their operation, leading to clashes in which many were injured and one person, Usonbek Niyozbekov, was killed.

“I once again express my condolences to the family of Usonbek Niyozbekov. Nothing can compensate for this loss. I hope that once justice prevails, I will be able to assist his family,” Atambayev stated.

He also accused the government of acting in its own interests rather than those of the nation, calling the events a personal initiative of President Sooronbay Jeenbekov aimed at discrediting and destroying him morally.

“I worked honestly as president. With your support, we achieved many things for the development of Kyrgyzstan and to raise the national spirit. I made mistakes and have admitted them. I trusted some friends too much and relied too heavily on the security forces. But I served the people and the country’s name with a clear conscience,” he wrote.

Atambayev also criticized the current political environment, stating that dissenting voices were silenced and citizens deprived of truthful information.

“The current government has chosen fear and betrayal as a foundation. Many have accepted ‘a lie as a form of existence,’ as Solzhenitsyn once said. But a government built on disgrace and deception can never be strong. Time will put everything in its place. The freedom-loving Kyrgyz people will judge who acted for the benefit of corrupt clans and who stood for the nation’s true interests,” he concluded.

In 2020, Almazbek Atambayev was convicted of the illegal release of criminal authority Aziz Batukayev and sentenced to 11 years and 2 months in prison. He was stripped of his state awards and property. After complaining of health issues, he was transferred from the pre-trial detention center to a hospital within a week.

In a statement made in the Batukayev case, Atambayev claimed that the criminal’s release was part of a larger plan to extradite Janysh Bakiyev, the brother of former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who was accused of ordering the shooting of protesters during the April 2010 uprising.

“Since 2011, as President, I took all possible steps to bring Janysh Bakiyev to justice. In 2012, an operation led by the State Committee for National Security was supposed to bring him back. The plan failed. I entrusted the operation to the SCNS chairman at the time,” Atambayev explained.

He maintained that there was no evidence of corruption or other criminal acts in the case files or witness testimony. He claimed the trial was held behind closed doors and the facts kept from public scrutiny.

“I have been sentenced to 11 years for approving an operation aimed at returning a dangerous criminal to Kyrgyzstan,” he said.

Former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs Kursan Asanov also made a notable remark regarding the events in Koy-Tash.

“I was instructed to ensure that Atambayev would not leave the Koy-Tash riots alive. I made one mistake—I captured him alive. That’s all I want to say,” Asanov stated.

In the summer of 2021, reports began circulating that former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev could become a defendant in another criminal case. This time, the Bishkek Main Department of Internal Affairs launched an investigation into the alleged illegal issuance of Kyrgyz passports to Turkish citizens in 2016. The decision to grant citizenship was made by the Commission on Citizenship under the President, chaired by Farid Niyazov, and the decree was signed by Atambayev. As a result, ten Turkish nationals received Kyrgyz passports.

Shortly afterward, law enforcement agencies filed two additional charges against Atambayev: organizing mass riots in Bishkek and attempting to seize power by force in early October 2020. However, he was later acquitted on these charges.

Following a court decision on February 14, 2023, Atambayev was released after serving three and a half years in a standard-regime colony. He then left Kyrgyzstan. On June 3 of the same year, the Pervomai District Court of Bishkek issued a verdict regarding the Koy-Tash events. Atambayev was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison, with confiscation of property and revocation of his state awards. Other defendants in the case received varying sentences.

Despite the verdict, Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov later expressed his willingness to pardon the former head of state.

“If he applies, I can pardon him. Six years have passed since the Koy-Tash events. The tensions have long since faded. I think the courts could have been more lenient. Of course, this is only my personal civic opinion, not an attempt to influence the courts. Perhaps a probationary period or a fine would have been more appropriate,” Japarov stated.

Atambayev, in response, declared his readiness to face an international court.

“President Sadyr Japarov said the former government fears an open trial on the Koy-Tash incident. He has accused me of crimes ranging from corruption to murder. Therefore, I urge the authorities to instruct the Prosecutor General's Office to apply to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. I am ready to appear before that court and respond to all charges—both political and criminal,” he wrote.

Atambayev also called on the current administration to release individuals imprisoned in connection with the Koy-Tash case and other politically motivated charges.

“I appeal to the country’s leadership: don’t stoop to such lows, don’t act with such cruelty—release the innocent people who have been illegally imprisoned or placed under probation. They were punished simply for standing up for their rights and for dreaming of a just Kyrgyzstan. Their continued imprisonment is a disgrace to the state and its leaders. If the government truly stands for justice, it should not fear an international tribunal. And if The Hague finds me guilty, I am prepared to serve any sentence,” Atambayev said.

Following his release, the former president traveled to Spain for medical treatment and remains outside the country. His name continues to spark debate in Kyrgyz society. The political legacy of Almazbek Atambayev remains unresolved—and the future, as always, will reveal the rest.