09:28, 25 марта 2023, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Gulmira Makanbai kyzy
Former ambassador of Kyrgyzstan to Malaysia Azimbek Beknazarov, accused of preparing for mass riots, asks the country’s president to release detainees from prison during the holy month of Ramadan. He posted the message on his social media page.
According to him, the issue of Kempir-Abad reservoir has been finally resolved de jure and de facto.
«It was handed over to the Uzbek side. Who needs to keep us, the Kempir-Abad supporters in prison, and why? 37 investigators, dozens of policeman, experts have been falsifying the criminal case against us for six months, and they are unable to turn our two-hour peaceful meeting into a crime. There is nothing there. Nothing will come of it. There was no crime at our meeting and no preparation for it either. Do not listen to Satan, who uses the state and, grossly violating the norms of the Constitution, the Code of Criminal Procedure, says that he will sue us at closed court hearings. In the holy month of Ramadan, do justice and release the prisoners who have been in custody for five months in the Kempir-Abad case,» he wrote.
Azimbek Beknazarov believes that illegal detention contradicts Sadyr Japarov’s statements calling for unity and friendship.
«The Kempir-Abad supporters also have conscience, relatives, friends and supporters. We are not broken, the youth is growing. If the issue is not resolved peacefully, legally, through negotiations, then we will have the spirit and education to protect our rights within the framework of the law... Law and justice are on our side,» he said.
The Committee for protection of Kempir-Abad reservoir was created on October 22. It includes activists, politicians and MPs. On the same day, in an interview with Kabar news agency, President Sadyr Japarov said: the authorities have information who was behind the rallies and marches on Kempir-Abad issue.
Mass arrests began on October 23. Authorities placed 27 people in jail on charges of preparing for riots. Three of them are under house arrest, 24 people are in the remand center 1.