Bakiyev in Minsk plots coup in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz politologists warn about a possible coup organised by the country's former president.

Kurmanbek and Zhanysh Bakiyevs will try to return home with the help of their supporters who still live in Kyrgyzstan. They are making attempts to unsettle the situation in the country, Kyrgyz gezitter.kz writes.

Kurmanbek Bakiyev was closely connected to criminal structures when he was in office. It is proved with solving the mystery of the death of three persons, including former head of the president's administration Medet Sadyrkulov. At the trial in Sadyrkulov's case on February 11, Kurmanbek Bakiyev was sentenced in absentia to 24 years in prison and his younger brother Zhanysh Bakiyev was given a life term. After that, the Kyrgyz parliament appealed to international parliamentary organisations asking for their assistance in extradition of the Bakiyevs from Belarus.

Analysts suppose that the Bakiyevs will exert all efforts to return to the country and organise disorders and perhaps a coup there.

“Even if their associates serve their prison terms in spring, the Bakiyevs won't sit on their hands. Under the court decision, one of them got a 24-year prison term and the other one was sentenced to life. Will they idly? No, they will try to act via their people,” Kyrgyz analyst Mars Sariyev says.

The politologist also names supporters of the former president, who may lead the coup. They are Kamchybek Tashiyev, Sadyr Zhaparov, Akmatbek Keldibekov and others. Among them are Maksim Bakieyv's business partner and head of Respublika Party Omurbek Babanov, patriarch of the country's southern elite Usen Sydykov and others.

A former president of Kyrgyzstan, Kurmanbek Bakiyev, and his brother Zhanybek Bakiyev were put on the CIS and Interpol wanted lists. They are charged with involvement in mass killings. The former Kyrgyz president and his family have been hiding in Belarus since April 2010. Kurmanbek Bakiyev received a Belarusian passport in August 2010.

The Kyrgyz authorities have repeatedly demanded to extradite the Bakiyevs to Kyrgyzstan, where they were tried in absentia.