Europe
5 years ago

Former Kyrgyz President Atambayev faces murder, coup plotting charges

Published :

Updated :

Kyrgyzstan's former President Almazbek Atambayev has been charged with murder and plotting a government coup.

He has also been accused of organising mass unrest and hostage-taking, reports BBC.

Mr Atambayev was arrested last week in a dramatic police raid on his house that left one officer dead.

The Central Asian state has seen two revolutions in less than two decades and is caught in an escalating conflict between the ex-president and his successor Sooronbai Jeenbekov.

On Tuesday, the general prosecutor said Mr Atambayev had been charged with "unlawfully carrying a weapon", "murdering a special forces officer", "taking hostages" and "organising mass unrest".

The head of the National Security Services, Orozbek Opumbayev, said the former leader had the "intention to organise a state coup".

Share this news