A Kyrgyz parliament deputy from the opposition Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party has been detained on corruption charges.
Sources in Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security told RFE/RL that Akhmatbek Keldibekov was detained on November 21 amid an investigation into alleged abuse of office and financial misdeeds while running State Social Fund in 2002-2005 and Tax Service in 2008-2010.
Keldibekov used to serve as the parliament speaker between 2010 and 2011.
Ata-Jurt party's leader Kamchybek Tashiev confirmed Keldibekov's arrest to RFE/RL, saying the charges are politically motivated.
Keldibekov has placed a video statement on the Internet hours before his detention, denying any wrongdoings and calling the investigations launched against him "political bargaining."
Sources in Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security told RFE/RL that Akhmatbek Keldibekov was detained on November 21 amid an investigation into alleged abuse of office and financial misdeeds while running State Social Fund in 2002-2005 and Tax Service in 2008-2010.
Keldibekov used to serve as the parliament speaker between 2010 and 2011.
Ata-Jurt party's leader Kamchybek Tashiev confirmed Keldibekov's arrest to RFE/RL, saying the charges are politically motivated.
Keldibekov has placed a video statement on the Internet hours before his detention, denying any wrongdoings and calling the investigations launched against him "political bargaining."
