Kyrgyzstan’s Ex-Deputy PM arrested

Ex-Deputy PM of Kyrgyzstan Duishenbek Zilaliyev was detained for 2 months, Pervomay district court of Bishkek issued an arrest warrant on Dec 9, Akipress reported.

Zilaliyev was detained by the National Security Committee on December 7 on suspicion of hiding a part of his property from his mandatory income declaration. His lawyer said Zilaliyev is ready to provide all the property documents to the authorities.

In October, Zilaliyev was given a 3-year conditional sentence to serve in a penal colony settlement with a 2-year probation period. He was found guilty of reporting a false bomb threat during the inauguration of president Sooronbai Jeenbekov on November 24, 2017. Zilaliyev denied any wrongdoing. 

Later, the National Security Committee explained that Zilaliyev declared his income of 2,541,527 soms for the period of 2011-2017, when he held the post of the Chairman of the State Property Management Fund, Director of the State Agency for Geology and Mineral Resources. His wife's income was 408,000 soms.

The investigation revealed that Zilaliyev hid $889,900, which were kept in a bank cell since Sept 2018, and multiple apartments, homes, and land plots, registered under his relatives' names, the statement said. Investigation is under way.