Kyrgyz Prosecutor General favors stronger punishment of deputies for attempt to seize power
BISHKEK. April 1 (Interfax) - The prosecution regards as too moderate the punishment of three opposition deputies convicted for attempting to seize power in Kyrgyzstan, Interfax was told at the press service of the Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office on Monday.
On March 29, the Pervomaisky District Court in Bishkek sentenced parliament members representing the opposition Ata-Zhurt party Kachymbek Tashiyev, Sadyr Zhaparov and Talant Mamytov to 12 to 18 months in prison for attempting to seize power after a rally for nationalizing Kumtor gold mine on October 3, 2012.
The prosecution wanted Tashiyev to be sentenced to 10 years in prison, Zhaparov and Mamytov - to nine years.
"The sentence of the district court will be protested by the prosecutor in a court of a higher instance," the press service of the Prosecutor General's Office said.
Meanwhile, Tashiyev's lawyer Ikramidin Aitkulov told Interfax on Monday that he also planned to protest the sentence because in his opinion "the prosecution did not collect sufficient evidence of his client attempting to seize power."
Protests were suspended in the hometown of Tashiyev and Mamytov in Jalalabad, in south Kyrgyzstan, where supporters of the deputies regularly met since October demanding their release.