The father of the arrested leader of the Social Democrats party Temirlan Sultanbekov, Medetbek Sultanbekov, appealed to President Sadyr Japarov and the head of the State Committee for National Security Kamchybek Tashiev in connection with his son’s hunger strike. He published a video message on social media.
Medetbek Sultanbekov noted that he considers the criminal case to be entirely politically motivated.
«This is all politics — I don’t need any politics today, I need the life and health of my son. As a law-abiding citizen, I used all available opportunities within the law,» Medetbek Sultanbekov said.
He noted that on November 26 he sent a written statement to the chairman of the State Committee for National Security with a request for a personal meeting. In addition, he has twice contacted the investigator through a lawyer to grant a meeting with Temirlan Sultanbekov in order to persuade him to end his hunger strike. He was refused twice. There has been no reaction from the country’s leadership.
My son is on his 27th day of hunger strike. The media say that my son is consuming cereals. I want to officially state that they are not given to him or accepted — this is a lie. This is not true.
Medetbek Sultanbekov
«We wanted to transfer my son at least the drink «Aralash», but it is not transferred to him. I am not even allowed to see him in order to dissuade from the hunger strike. People are being misled. Temirlan and we do not trust the doctors and employees of the pretrial detention center, who allowed the deaths of Ruslan Kazakbaev and Arstanbek Abdyldaev. The purpose of this hunger strike was to protest against lawlessness, arbitrariness, legal nihilism and draw the attention of those in power. But 27 days have passed, no one has responded. This is not normal. In a civilized world, such a hunger strike would have been responded to long ago, but our authorities are silent,» Medetbek Sultanbekov said.
«Sadyr Nurgozhoevich, you have experienced the bitterness of losing your son and I hope that you can understand me. I have devoted 30 years of my life to defending my homeland, can’t I protect my son now? Today is Human Rights Day, I appeal to the public, human rights activists and the international community to help protect my son. He is being killed slowly but purposefully. Sadyr Nurgozhoevich and Kamchybek Kydyrshaevich, do not let my son die and respond to my appeal,» Medetbek Sultanbekov said.
On November 15, the Sverdlovsky District Court placed Temirlan Sultanbekov, Irina Karamushkina and Roza Turksever in the pretrial detention center No. 1 until January 13, 2025. The arrested are accused of vote buying. Immediately after his arrest, the leader of the Social Democrats, Temirlan Sultanbekov, went on a hunger strike. It continues.
Searches were conducted at the headquarters of Social Democrats political party on November 13.
The Main Department of Internal Affairs of Bishkek reported that a criminal case had been opened under the article «Vote buying» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic after an audio recording of a conversation allegedly between the head of the headquarters of the Social Democrats party Irina Karamushkina and a candidate Daniyar Cholponbaev was posted on social media, where they allegedly discussed vote buying in the upcoming elections of deputies of local councils.