How will Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security change after Tashiev? Japarov responds

Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security (SCNS) is undergoing large-scale reforms. The issue of reforming the system is currently being widely discussed in society. What changes are expected? Will the special service, as some suggest, return to its classic model focused solely on intelligence and counterintelligence? President Sadyr Japarov addressed these questions in an interview with the Kabar news agency.

“The State Committee for National Security has fully fulfilled its assigned tasks. In some areas, it may even be said that it exceeded them. However, the state is a living organism that must constantly develop and change. Yesterday, national security faced one set of challenges; today, it faces entirely different ones.

Taking these realities into account, a high-quality reform will be carried out within the State Committee for National Security to respond to modern threats and global changes. The world is changing, and accordingly, our state institutions must move forward and be renewed,” the president said.

The head of state also addressed the issue of certain representatives of the special services allegedly committing illegal acts for personal gain while hiding behind Tashiev’s name during the fight against corruption and crime.

“We do not have the concept of ‘covering up’ illegal actions, no matter who is involved. The state places the law above all else in serving the people. This principle applies even when it concerns our relatives and close associates,” Japarov said.

According to the president, the law has always been in force and will continue to be enforced. No public official will be allowed to violate the law or act in their personal interests.

“If cases are identified in which representatives of special services or other state bodies have exceeded their authority or acted outside the law, they will certainly be investigated and held accountable. We are all equal before the law,” he added.

Tashiev’s resignation

On February 10, Kamchybek Tashiev, Chairman of the State Committee for National Security and Deputy Prime Minister, was dismissed by presidential decree. He explained his decision as an effort to “prevent division in society.” Tashiev later said he learned about the decision while undergoing a scheduled medical check-up in Germany following heart surgery.

Following his dismissal, First Deputy Chairman Kurbonbek Avazov, Cybersecurity Center Director Daniyel Risaliyev, and Counterterrorism Center Director Elizar Smanov were also removed from their posts. Abdukarim Alimbayev was dismissed as First Deputy Chairman of the SCNS and appointed head of the State Border Service. He was replaced by Rustam Mamasadykov, who had been serving as Secretary of the Security Council.

Jumgalbek Shabdanbekov, who had served as head of Service No. 9 and deputy chairman of the SCNS since 2020, was appointed acting chairman of the committee.

On the same day, the Border Service was removed from the structure of the State Committee.

The Japarov–Tashiev tandem

Kamchybek Tashiev was appointed chairman of the State Committee for National Security on October 16, 2020. The decree was signed by Sadyr Japarov in his capacity as acting president following the events of October 5–6, 2020.

The long-standing relationship between Tashiev and President Sadyr Japarov had been regarded as one of the most stable and influential political alliances in the country. Their cooperation began long before they came to power: in the early 2010s, they often stood on the same side in political processes and even went through a joint criminal episode in 2012, which strengthened their personal ties.

After the October 2020 events, the tandem took its final shape: Sadyr Japarov became president, while Kamchybek Tashiev was appointed head of the security service and became a key pillar of the power bloc. He oversaw the most high-profile cases, shaped security policy, and was widely seen as one of the president’s closest allies.

Among experts, their alliance was often described as the country’s strongest political duo, and any personnel changes surrounding Tashiev were viewed as a sign of serious shifts in the configuration of power.

Recently, rumors had circulated in political circles that the head of the special services might take part in future presidential elections. Tashiev repeatedly stated that he had no intention of running for president and would support Sadyr Japarov.