Former Kyrgyz MP Duishon Torokulov detained on organized crime charges

Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan – Duishon Torokulov, a former member of the Jogorku Kenesh (Kyrgyzstan's parliament), is currently in pre-trial detention on suspicion of involvement in an organized criminal group. The Pervomaisky District Court ordered his detention on June 19, with the period set to last until June 30. The Ministry of Internal Affairs had requested his placement in custody, though the ministry had not previously announced his arrest.

Torokulov faces charges under Article 261, Part 2 of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic, which pertains to participation in an organized group. This offense carries a potential sentence of five to eight years imprisonment, along with the confiscation of property.

This is not the first time Torokulov, also known by the nickname 'Dushka,' has faced legal trouble. He was previously arrested in 2021 on allegations of orchestrating a raid on a leather processing plant in Osh. At that time, a court released him under house arrest, and he subsequently returned to parliament. However, official details regarding the investigation's outcome and the judicial decision in that prior case have not been disclosed.