At a closed-door session on June 29 in Bishkek's Pervomaisky District Court, the Kyrgyz prosecutor demanded that all eight defendants in the high-profile 'Letter 75' case be found guilty of preparing to seize power and sentenced to nine years in prison each.

The defendants include former State Committee for National Security (SCNS) head Kamchybek Tashiev, ex-lawmaker Kurmankul Zulushev, Speaker of the Jogorku Kenesh Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, former Agriculture Minister and ex-ambassador to Uzbekistan Emilbek Uzakbaev, as well as Bekbolot Talgarbekov, Aaly Karashev, Kurmanbek Diykanbaev, and Kursan Asanov. Some of the accused were brought to court from a pretrial detention center.

The criminal case stems from the so-called 'Letter 75' – an appeal signed by a group of politicians and public figures addressed to President Sadyr Japarov and parliament leadership, proposing early presidential elections. After the letter's publication, several signatories were arrested and charged.

Following the start of the investigation, Tashiev was dismissed from his post as SCNS head. President Japarov then stated that the question of the former security chief's involvement in the letter should be determined by the investigation and the court.

At the latest hearing, Tashiev called on the prosecutor to drop the charges. His lawyers supported this demand, but state prosecutors maintained their position and insisted on nine-year prison terms for all defendants.

The previous court session in Tashiev's case was postponed. According to lawyer Ikramidin Aitkulov, hearings will resume after the defense completes its appeal of certain investigative decisions in the city court and all defendants have reviewed the case materials.

Notably, in mid-May, Meerim Uzakbaeva, the daughter of former minister and ex-ambassador Emilbek Uzakbaev, was arrested.

Source: podrobno.uz