Kyrgyz Police Detain Some 40 Protesters At Rally Held By Atambayev's Supporters In Bishkek

Umer Jamshaid Published August 09, 2019 | 12:05 PM

Kyrgyzstan's police have arrested about 40 supporters of former President Almazbek Atambayev who participated in a rally in Bishkek, the press service of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry told Sputnik on Friday

BISHKEK (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 09th August, 2019) Kyrgyzstan's police have arrested about 40 supporters of former President Almazbek Atambayev who participated in a rally in Bishkek, the press service of the Kyrgyz Interior Ministry told Sputnik on Friday.

On Thursday, Atambayev's supporters gathered outside the parliament building in the Kyrgyz capital in the wake of the ex-president's detention. Security forces subsequently dispersed the protesters and the police said that the situation was under control.

"About 40 offenders were detained. Currently, work to identify instigators of riots is underway," the press service said.

The Interior Ministry said that around 1,500 people participated in the unrest in Bishkek at night. Protesters were breaking store windows, cameras and setting fire to garbage cans.

The situation involving the ex-president escalated as on Wednesday, when security forces attempted to storm his house in the village of Koy Tash, located 12 miles away from Bishkek.

The law enforcement sought to detain Atambayev, as he denied to obey subpoena on corruption suspicions. The situation turned violent as the former president's supporters fought back, preventing him from being detained.

On Thursday, the storming operation continued and Atambayev surrendered to the authorities as the violent clashes between the law enforcement and his supporters resumed.

The former leader was then taken to the capital to be brought into the Interior Ministry's main investigative department for questioning.

A parliamentary committee has concluded that Atambayev, who served as the president of Kyrgyzstan from December 2011 to November 2017, has been implicated in abuse of power, corruption, forgery and other crimes. Atambayev has denied the allegations and accused the security officers of attacking their compatriots.