09:28, 24 марта 2022, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Aida DZHUMASHOVA
The Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek has completed hearing of a criminal case against an activist Melis Aspekov, accused of extortion and fraud.
Earlier, the defendant made his final statement. He stated that there was no evidence of his guilt. Melis Aspekov considers the charges brought against him as political persecution.
Leaving the deliberation room, the judge Marat Sydykov read out the verdict, according to which Melis Aspekov was sentenced to seven years in a prison colony.
Melis Aspekov and Ulan Dzhuraev were detained on suspicion of extorting $250,000 from officials of Kyrgyz Temir Zholu state enterprise in early January 2021. According to the investigation, they, posing as close associates of Sadyr Japarov, threatened to organize an inspection of the activities of the state enterprise by the State Service for Combating Economic Crimes and stage rallies against its management. Ulan Dzhuraev was placed under house arrest. Melis Aspekov was transferred from the pre-trial detention center of the State Committee for National Security to the detention center 1 in Bishkek, he does not plead guilty.
The court found Ulan Dzhuraev guilty and sentenced him to a fine of 260,000 soms.
In addition, Melis Aspekov is accused of fraud. According to investigators, the activist bought an apartment from his friend in 2016, re-registered it, but did not pay the money for it.