Detained ex-mayor of Bishkek goes on hunger strike - sources
BISHKEK. June 24 (Interfax) - Ex-mayor of Bishkek and currently a member of the opposition parliamentary faction Nariman Tyuleyev, detained on Saturday, has gone on a hunger strike, sources in Tyuleyev's entourage said on Sunday.
The lawmaker's hunger strike is a protest against his unlawful detention, they said.
"Prosecutor General Aida Salyanova had pledged not to order his arrest or detention before a parliamentary commission ends an investigation into his alleged corrupt practices. The pledge remained unfulfilled," the sources said.
"Tyuleyev may be held at a detention facility for up to three days, pending the court's decision on his further custody. But exactly when this happens is not clear," they said.
The detained lawmaker's defense lawyers claimed the charges brought against their client are far-fetched, and the criminal case could fall apart before court hearings begin.
Tyuleyev was detained late on Saturday after being questioned by an investigator for four hours.
He stands accused of involvement in corrupt deals during his tenure as Bishkek mayor and misappropriating $4.5 million. A criminal case was started against him on June 21 2012. The Prosecutor General's Office said this crime is rated as grave and has no limitation period. Parliamentary immunity does not work in this case, the Prosecutor General's Office said.
