09:31, 29 ноября 2019, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Baktygul OSMONALIEVA
Former Consul General of Kyrgyzstan in Istanbul Erkin Sopokov was detained. Press center of the State Committee for National Security of Kyrgyzstan reported. He was placed in the temporary detention facility of the pre-trial detention center of the SCNS.
Yesterday, the former diplomat was summoned as a witness in a criminal case under the Article «Attempted murder.» He is detained for 48 hours.
Investigators will petition to change the preventive measure to Erkin Sopokov for detention.
«Erkin Sopokov was detained as part of a criminal case based on a material by Azattyk, Kloop and OCCRP,» the SCNS reported.
Recall, the journalistic investigation about smuggling and corruption at the Customs caused a massive public outcry. The material states that unknown people repeatedly threatened the Chinese businessman Aierken Saimaiti with murder in Kyrgyzstan, so he was forced to flee to Turkey.
The Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case and entrusted an interdepartmental investigation group with investigation.