BISHKEK -- Former Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambaev, who was serving an 11-year sentence for his role in the release from prison of notorious crime boss Aziz Batukaev, has been released from prison and allowed to receive medical treatment abroad.
The Birinchi Mai district court in Bishkek pronounced the ruling on February 14, a day after the Central Asian nation's Supreme Court decided to send Atambaev's case for retrial due to "new circumstances revealed in the case."
Batukaev, who was convicted of several high-profile crimes including the murders of a Kyrgyz lawmaker and an Interior Ministry official, was granted early release in 2013 after being diagnosed with leukemia. The diagnosis was later found to have been falsified.
After his release, Batukaev immediately left Kyrgyzstan for his native Chechnya in Russia’s North Caucasus region.
Atambaev and about 20 other former top Kyrgyz officials were charged with involvement in Batukaev’s release. In 2020, Atambaev was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
Atambaev maintained his innocence, insisting the case was politically motivated.
Atambaev's lawyers say he has multiple health problems, including a herniated disc in his spine, and needs medical treatment.
Atambaev, 66, is currently on trial in another case related to the August 2019 clashes between his supporters and security forces at his residential compound near Bishkek.
A two-day standoff between security forces and Atambaev’s supporters resulted in the death of a top security officer and more than 170 injuries -- 79 of them sustained by law enforcement officers.
Atambaev and 13 others are charged with murder, attempted murder, threatening or assaulting representatives of the authorities, hostage-taking, and the forcible seizure of power.
Atambaev and his supporters call that case politically motivated as well.