Bishkek Deputy Mayor Detained Over Six-Year Use of Public Land Without Rent

Bishkek Deputy Mayor Zhamalbek Yrssaliev was detained on July 16 during an on-site meeting between State Committee for National Security chief Kamchybek Tashiev and residents of the Tunguch neighborhood, Orda.kz reports.

The detention followed citizen complaints that a municipal plot — designated for a public square in the city’s general plan — had instead been developed with private facilities linked to Yrssaliev.

During the meeting, it emerged that the land had been used rent-free. Yrssaliev claimed he had simply improved the area by installing a library and a chess club. However,  National Security officers carried out an inspection and concluded that for six years, the land had been used for personal purposes without a single som paid in rent.

Some attendees stated that rent was, in fact, collected, but not paid into the official budget.

You used this land, didn’t pay rent, and now say it’s not yours. Be a man — take responsibility for what you’ve done,
Tashiev told Yrssaliev during the exchange. 

Following the conversation, Tashiev ordered an investigation on the spot, and the deputy mayor was taken away from the meeting. The case has been registered in the Automated Crime and Incident Accounting System (AIS ZHUI), and a preliminary inquiry is underway.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov