Kyrgyz president rules out role in high-profile trial

Publisher	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
Publication Date	28 March 2013
Cite as	Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Kyrgyz president rules out role in high-profile trial, 28 March 2013, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/519a6b23f.html [accessed 17 September 2023]
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March 28, 2013

By RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev

JALAL-ABAD, Kyrgyzstan – Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev says he cannot interfere in the ongoing trial of three opposition members of parliament.

Atambaev made his comment to hundreds of supporters of the three Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party leaders in the southern city of Jalal-Abad on March 28.

The president said only a court can decide the fates of Kamchybek Tashiev, Sadyr Japarov, and Talant Mamytov.

They were arrested for their alleged role in violent protests in October 2012 by about 1,000 demonstrators in the capital, Bishkek.

The demonstrators demanded nationalization of the country's Kumtor gold mine.

The three politicians went on trial on January 10.

A verdict is expected to be announced on March 29.

Numerous protests have been held by their supporters in Bishkek and other Kyrgyz cities since their arrests in October.