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🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan /Crime & Justice

Court Refuses Open Trial in Sultanbekov Power Grab Case

From 24.kg · () Russian

Translated from Russian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • A court in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, has refused to hold an open trial for politicians accused of attempting a violent seizure of power and inciting mass riots.
  • Journalists were denied access to the courtroom, prompting one of the accused, Temirlan Sultanbekov, to call the closed-door proceedings "stupid."
  • Sultanbekov and others face charges of violent power seizure and mass riots, which they and their relatives deny.

The Pervomaisky District Court in Bishkek has opted to conduct the trial of politicians accused of attempting a violent seizure of power and inciting mass riots behind closed doors. Journalists were barred from attending the proceedings on August 11, 2026, a decision that drew immediate criticism.

One of the accused, Temirlan Sultanbekov, publicly denounced the closed-door trial as "stupid" and maintained his innocence. His lawyer, Asel Argymbaeva, had formally requested an open hearing and sought a change in the pre-trial detention measure for the accused, proposing house arrest instead. However, the judge rejected these requests.

Sultanbekov, along with Kadyrbek Atambayev and Kubanychbek Kadyrov, faces charges related to the violent seizure of power. Several other individuals are accused of involvement in mass riots. The defendants and their families have consistently rejected all allegations, asserting their innocence in the face of these serious charges.

stupidity

— Temirlan SultanbekovThe accused politician's reaction to the court's decision to hold the trial in private.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by 24.kg in Russian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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