Former Chairman of the Kyrgyz State Committee for National Security (GKNB) Kamchybek Tashiyev has been charged with attempting to violently seize power and abuse of office. His lawyer Ikromiddin Aitkulov confirmed the charges to Kaktus.Media.
Tashiyev has been placed under a written pledge not to leave the country. The investigation is being conducted by the Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs, which has not yet officially commented. The lawyer stated that his client denies all allegations.
On April 29, Tashiyev was summoned twice for interrogation at the Main Investigation Department of the Ministry. After the second overnight interrogation, the charges were confirmed. Tashiyev proclaimed his innocence and expressed confidence in a fair trial. He urged his supporters to act within the law and refrain from organizing protests.
In a Facebook post, the politician wrote: “I considered it necessary to address you regarding the criminal case opened against me. I have the opportunity to fully defend myself. I am innocent and, God willing, will be acquitted. The guilty will be punished, the innocent exonerated, because the head of our state strives to create a fair judicial system in the country.”
The 57-year-old Tashiyev was a close ally of President Sadyr Japarov for over a decade. When Japarov came to power in October 2020, Tashiyev was appointed head of the GKNB and deputy prime minister. Under previous presidents, both were in opposition and were detained in a case involving an alleged attempt to seize power in the 2010s.
Days before Tashiyev’s interrogation, on April 25, MP Elvira Surabaldieva gave an interview claiming that Tashiyev’s February dismissal was linked to his involvement in organizing an attempted coup. “The president is a very generous person. It is very hard for him now because his close friend tried to remove him from office,” she said. Her remarks sparked public outrage, with many Kyrgyz citizens angered that Tashiyev’s proximity to the president might allow him to evade criminal liability while dozens of activists, journalists, and critics have been punished for organizing mass unrest.
Japarov later told local media that he had controlled the situation from the start and that everyone is equal before the law. He stated that the investigation and court would determine whether Tashiyev was involved in the coup attempt.
In April 2021, a referendum amended the constitution, transforming the country into a pure presidential republic, reducing the presidential term to five years with the right to re-election. Japarov’s six-year term expires in January 2027, but the changes allow him to run for a second term.
A year before the next election, Japarov began consolidating his position. According to a poll by the International Republican Institute, Tashiyev’s approval rating rose from 14% to 22% in recent years, while trust in President Japarov remained at 35–38%. On February 9, Japarov and the parliament speaker received a petition calling for “immediate new presidential elections,” signed by 75 people, including former prime ministers and ex-deputies.
Subsequently, the Interior Ministry opened a criminal case on organizing mass unrest, and several signatories were detained, including Tashiyev’s supporters. On February 10, Tashiyev was dismissed. Japarov explained the decision as an effort to prevent societal division.
As head of the GKNB, Tashiyev gained popularity as a fierce anti-corruption fighter, launching dozens of cases against high-ranking officials. However, after his dismissal, his own family became embroiled in a corruption scandal. The tax service accused Tashiyev’s relatives of embezzling state funds through the sale of fuel produced by the state company Kyrgyzneftegaz. In mid-March, his relative Baigazy Matisakov was arrested. The damage is estimated at 4.1 billion soms ($46 million). On April 1, Tashiyev’s brother, former MP Shairbek Tashiyev, was also detained in the same case and remanded in custody until May 16. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Source: kun.uz