Aidar Khalikov, a former public aide to the president of Kyrgyzstan, has been detained in Moldova under an Interpol warrant on charges of large-scale fraud.
Investigative journalist Bolot Temirov was the first to report Khalikov’s detention, raising the possibility of his extradition to Kyrgyzstan. The report was later confirmed by the General Inspectorate for Migration under Moldova’s Ministry of Internal Affairs. According to their statement, the detention was carried out as part of efforts to locate individuals wanted internationally for evading criminal responsibility.
Charges Against Khalikov
The Kyrgyz Ministry of Internal Affairs stated that Khalikov, born in 1965, is being prosecuted under Article 209 of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code, which pertains to fraud. He is accused of stealing a significant sum of money from a Kyrgyz citizen identified solely as S.D. Investigators suspect Khalikov may also be involved in other similar crimes. The General Prosecutor’s Office of Kyrgyzstan is now working on his extradition.
Background
Khalikov was a prominent member of the “Mekenchil” party and played an active role in Kyrgyzstan’s political landscape, particularly during the political upheavals of 2020. Following those events, he was appointed as an aide to President Sadyr Japarov. However, in 2024, Khalikov left Kyrgyzstan and began publicly criticizing Japarov and his inner circle.
Khalikov’s arrest in Moldova underscores ongoing efforts by the Kyrgyz authorities to track and prosecute high-profile individuals facing criminal charges. His extradition process will likely attract significant attention in both Kyrgyzstan and Moldova in the coming weeks.
