BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyz special police forces have arrested former President Almazbek Atambayev after they stormed his residential compound in Koi-Tash village near Bishkek defended by hundreds of Atambayev’s supporters, 24.kg news agency reported.
The news agency reported that Atambayev was taken from his residential compound on August 8 in a police convoy that was headed to the Interior Ministry headquarters in the capital.
Farid Niyazov, Atambayev’s loyalist, and Social Democratic Party spokeswoman Kunduz Joldubaeva accompanied Atambayev.
The move comes hours after Kyrgyz special forces failed in their first attempt to detain the former president overnight amid violent clashes with his supporters that left one officer dead and dozens injured, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reported.
RFE/RL correspondents at the site said police had used stun grenades and tear gas as they entered the compound on August 8, where dozens of supporters, and Atambayev, were holed up. They also said gunshots could be heard.
The move came shortly after six special-forces troops captured at the compound late on August 7 by Atambayev’s supporters had been released.
Tensions had been high at the sprawling residence on August 8, a day after elite security forces failed to arrest the 62-year-old Atambayev, who faces five counts of criminally abusing his office when he was Kyrgyzstan’s president from 2011 to 2017 — including corruption, abuse of office, and illegally enriching himself.
Atambayev rejects the charges and resisted police attempts on August 7 to detain him for questioning.
President Sooronbai Jeenbekov and Atambayev traded barbs, with the former close allies blaming each other for the bloodshed.
Speaking at the extraordinary session of the National Security Council on August 8, Jeenbekov said Atambayev carries full responsibility for the deadly violence.
“By putting up fierce armed resistance to the investigative measures undertaken within the framework of the law, Almazbek Atambayev gravely trampled upon the constitution and laws of Kyrgyzstan,” Jeenbekov said.
“If before yesterday Atambayev was summoned to investigation as a witness, now he will be treated as someone accused of committing a serious crime,” he added.
Authorities moved in on the former president’s compound to carry out a subpoena in an unspecified investigation but were met with armed resistance by Atambayev’s supporters.
