Former Security Chief Kamchybek Tashiev Granted Probation in Bishkek Court
The Pervomaisky District Court in Bishkek has delivered its verdict on the highly publicised «Letter 75» case. According to Akipress the main figure in the trial was Kamchybek Tashiev who previously served as the head of Kyrgyzstan’s State Committee for National Security.
The court found Tashiev guilty of preparing for a violent seizure of power. He was handed a four-year prison sentence alongside the confiscation of his property. However the former security chief was granted a three-year probation period which allows him to avoid serving actual time behind bars.
Seven other individuals involved in the case received similar judgements. This group included former parliamentary speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, Member of Parliament Kurmankul Zulushev and various other politicians and public figures.
Acquittals and courtroom releases
Despite the convictions for attempting to seize power the judge fully acquitted all defendants on charges of abusing their official positions. Five of the accused who had been held in custody were released directly from the courtroom after their preventative measures were downgraded to travel restrictions.
The trial stems from the Letter 75 initiative where a coalition of political and public figures publicly called for early presidential elections in Kyrgyzstan. The publication of this document triggered significant governmental reshuffles and led to Tashiev’s dismissal from his roles as Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and head of the national security committee.
During the legal proceedings state prosecutors had demanded strict nine-year prison sentences for all those involved. In contrast the defendants maintained their innocence throughout the trial and had requested complete acquittals.
