BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan’s former prosecutor-general Aida Salyanova has been arrested over the early release in 2013 of one of the country’s most notorious crime bosses, Aziz Batukaev.
The Pervomai District Court of Bishkek has put Salyanova in Bishkek’s pretrial detention center until June 26, 24.kg news agency reported on June 5.
Salyanova was detained late on June 3 after she was summoned to the Interior Ministry for questioning regarding the “illegal early release” from prison of Aziz Batukaev.
Salyanova’s detention comes days after former Deputy Prime Minister Shamil Atakhanov was placed in pretrial arrest in the high-profile case, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported.
Salyanova served as prosecutor-general when Batukaev was granted early release after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2013.
His diagnosis was later found to have been falsified.
The Interior Ministry said last month that former Health Minister Dinara Sagynbaeva and Kalybek Kachkynaliev, an ex-adviser to the head of the State Penitentiary Service, were also detained in the case.
Also, four doctors were detained last week on suspicion of aiding Batukaev’s early release.
Batukaev’s release in April 2013 caused a scandal that led to Atakhanov’s resignation and the firing of the country’s ombudsman.
Batukaev, an ethnic Chechen, was sentenced in 2006 to nearly 17 years in a prison for his involvement in several serious crimes — including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official.
After his release, Batukaev immediately left for Russia’s North Caucasus region of Chechnya.
