Bishkek to insist on extradition of Bakiyevs accused of mass murders
BISHKEK. May 15 (Interfax) - The Kyrgyz government will keep on working towards the extradition of ex-President Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his junior brother Zhanybek (Zhanysh) Bakiyev, Kyrgyz Deputy Prime Minister Shamil Atakhanov told the AKIpress news agency.
"Murder and mass murder are very serious charges and the government has no right to drop the issue. We will be insistent about the extradition," he said.
A working group of Kyrgyz law enforcement authorities visited Belarus lately to hold negotiations and map up initial stages of the relationship. "This work will be continued," he said.
"There was no possibility to hold negotiations before," Atakhanov said.
Former President Kurmanbek Bakiyev took residence in Belarus in April 2010. In his home country, he is accused of complicity in the murder of former head of his administration Medet Sadyrkulov in March 2009 and execution by firing and abuse of office in the dispersal of an opposition rally in the Bishkek center on April 7, 2010.
K. Bakiyev was sentenced in absentia to a long prison term under the first charge.
His junior brother Zhanybek was found guilty of organizing the murder of M. Sadyrkulov and sentenced in absentia to a long prison term. He was also accused of execution by firing and abuse of office in the dispersal of the opposition rally in the Bishkek center on April 7, 2010, and some other crimes he committed in the capacity of the head of presidential guards.
Zhanybek Bakiyev fled the country in April 2010 several days after Kurmanbek Bakiyev moved to Minsk. His current whereabouts are unknown. He is on the inter-state and international wanted lists. Kyrgyzstan suspects he is staying in Belarus together with his senior brother.
