Allegations laid out in a book by a Kyrgyz opposition politician who is currently abroad have caused a stir in the Central Asian nation.
Former Ata-Jurt (Fatherland) party lawmaker Sadyr Japarov's book, 10 Years in Politics, appeared recently on the Internet. It has not been published in book form.
In it, Japarov alleges that President Almazbek Atambaev, former President Rosa Otunbaeva, and other officials were involved in what he claims was a secret transfer of substantial amounts of gold to Turkey in 2011.
One of the officials who is accused in the book, Issyk-Kul region governor Emilbek Kaptagaev, condemned the allegations on January 5 as "lies."
He warned he will sue the author if the book is printed.
Japarov is currently in Poland. He and two other leaders of Ata-Jurt, Kamchybek Tashiev and Talant Mamytov, were convicted of attempting to overthrow the government and sentenced last March to prison terms of ranging from one year to 18 months, but were released in June after protests over their jailing.
A former prosecutor-general, Kubatbek Baibolov, said on January 5 that all the allegations should be investigated.