AKIPRESS.COM - Former president of Kyrgyzstan Almazbek Atambayev has called for the case of Kurmanbek Bakiev, another ex-president of Kyrgyzstan, to be heard in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. He made the statement on his Facebook page, following a recent court decision in Bishkek that sentenced him and several of his allies on multiple criminal charges.
President Sadyr Japarov commented that he would be willing to grant amnesty, if Atambayev formally applied for it. Japarov also claimed that a member of the interim government had previously requested not to pursue the Bakiev case.
Atambayev responded sharply, saying:
"President Japarov claims the interim government fears an open trial against Bakiev and has accused me of crimes ranging from corruption to murder. I therefore suggest a clear step: ratify the Rome Statute and instruct the General Prosecutor to refer the case to the ICC. I am ready to personally appear before the court and answer all political and criminal accusations against me. Let the truth be revealed."
He added that if the ICC found him guilty, he would serve the sentence without objection.
Atambayev emphasized that he voluntarily stepped down eight years ago after one term and never betrayed Kyrgyzstan’s interests. He acknowledged past mistakes, stated he had endured solitary confinement, and had distanced himself from politics to focus on his health, which worsened in prison. He criticized the current government for continuing to persecute him and his associates.
He called for the release of those unjustly imprisoned or under probation for the Koi-Tash events and other allegedly fabricated criminal cases, saying:
"These people sacrificed their freedom for standing up for their rights and dreaming of a just Kyrgyzstan. Their continued imprisonment is a disgrace for the country and its leadership."
Atambayev thanked his family and supporters naming individuals like Farid Niyazov and Irina Karamushkina, and apologized for the suffering they endured due to their loyalty to him.