Kyrgyzstan opposition politician arrested on corruption charges

Kyrgyzstan’s state security service has arrested opposition politician and presidential hopeful Omurbek Tekebayev on corruption and fraud charges.
He considers his detention unwarranted and illegal and a continuation of political repressions.
Member of Parliament
The 58-year-old, who leads the Ata Meken party’s parliementary faction, is an outspoken critic of President Almazbek Atambayev, whose term is due to end this year.
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He is accused of taking a $1 million bribe from a Russian telecoms tycoon in 2010, promising the investor that he would be able to take over a local company.
At the time, Tekebayev, who denies any wrongdoing, was a senior member of provisional government.
Kanybek Imanaliyev, a member of parliament who belongs to Tekebayev’s party, said: “He considers his detention unwarranted and illegal and a continuation of political repressions.”
“We planned to hold a party congress within a within a month an nominate him as a presidential candidate.”
Atambayev, the current president, can’t run for re-election in November, however his allies in parliament successfully pushed through reforms boosting the powers of the Prime Minister – a change that Tekebayev openly criticised.
It has been suggested that he may run for the position after his term ends, or install a loyal figure in the role – rumours which the president denies.