Kyrgyzstan: President’s Would-Be-in-Law Released After Court Verdict

The would-be in-law of Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has been released, Orda.kz reports, citing Kaktus Media.

Aftandil Sabyrbekov, who gained public attention after his high-profile engagement to the president’s niece, was found not guilty of drug-related charges. The court determined that no criminal offense had been committed under that article.

However, Sabyrbekov was convicted on a separate charge.

He was found guilty under Article 267, Part 2 of the Kyrgyz Criminal Code — ‘Illegal trafficking of weapons and ammunition.’ He was sentenced to two years and six months in prison, but since each day spent in pretrial detention counts as two, his sentence is considered fully served,
 Kaktus Media reports, citing the Pervomaisky District Court of Bishkek.

Sabyrbekov became known after staging a lavish marriage proposal to Lazat Nurkozhaeva, the niece of President Japarov.

Just days later, he was arrested on allegations of attempting to establish a drug trafficking ring. At the time, the presidential administration claimed that Sabyrbekov had tried to use his connections within the government to conceal his criminal activities.

Meanwhile, another relative of President Japarov — his second cousin, Ulan Japarov — remains under investigation. He is suspected of defrauding a family of $100,000 by promising to secure a government post.

Original Author: Ruslan Loginov