Bishkek demands extradition of Bakiyev: Belarusian ambassador defends

Families of the killed people in Bishkek picket the embassy of Belarus demanding extradition of Kyrgyzstan’s ex-president.

Members of the April 7 movement, uniting the families of the people killed or injured during the April 7 riots in Bishkek, organized a picket near the embassy of Belarus in the center of Bishkek, Interfax reports.

The people demand to extradite former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev to Kyrgyzstan.

A representative of the Belarusian embassy in Kyrgyzstan addressed the protesters and said that “former president of Kyrgyzstan Kurmanbek Bakiyev stayed in Belarus as a guest”.

“A decision on Bakiyev’s staying in Belarus was taken to avoid negative developments in Kyrgyzstan,” a representative of the Belarusian embassy said.

He said: “As soon as the Kyrgyz interim government solves all legal questions regarding possible extradition of Bakiyev to the country, the government of Belarus will observe all international arrangements and consider the issues on the basis of the Minsk Convention.”

He said the Belarusian leadership would be informed about all demands of the protesters.

The participants of the action near the Belarusian embassy stand on the pavement and the traffic way. In this connection, Maskovskaya Street, where the embassy is situated, is blocked for traffic. The picketers do not hinder the public transport flow. The militia doesn’t interfere with the picket.

We remind that on April 26, the interim government of Kyrgyzstan adopted a decree stripping Bakiyev of power and presidential immunity.

The decree says: “Bakiyev be found guilty of violating Article 46 paragraph 6 of the Kyrgyz Constitution and be extradited to face trial in his home country.”