Kyrgyzstan: a businessman has been illegally detained for over a year
The founder of Aknet LLC, Kuban Azhimudinov, has been in custody since June 2019, which contradicts the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic dated September 13, 2019. It states that it’s not allowed to extend the term of a preventive measure for more than one year. The Ombudsman’s Office drew attention to violations in the entrepreneur’s case.
On May 11 this year, the City Court of Bishkek considered the lawyers’ appeal against the legality of the detention of Kuban Azhimudinov, as well as regarding the preventive measure against him. In particular, following the results of the meeting of the Judicial Collegiums of the City Court, which was also attended by a representative of the Ombudsman’s office, it was decided to keep the businessman in custody.
“The founder of Aknet LLC has been in custody since June 2019, which contradicts the resolution of the Plenum of the Supreme Court of the Kyrgyz Republic dated September 13, 2019. It states that it’s not allowed to extend the term of a preventive measure for more than one year. However, up to the present time, Azhimudinov has been repeatedly released under house arrest, then detained again. The criminal case is being considered for a long time, the investigation is deliberately delayed, and the accused is in custody,” the human rights activists note.
They emphasize that they are surprised by the fact that on April 8, the Judicial Collegium of the City Court of Bishkek changed the measure of restraint from detention to house arrest for health reasons of the businessman. A day later, the investigating judge decided to keep him in custody.
“And later, on May 11, 2021, the same judges, who had previously sent Azhimudinov under house arrest for health reasons, without taking this fact into account, left him in custody despite the medical report. This contradicts the earlier decision of April 8, 2021. At the same time, the Judicial Collegium, without commenting on its decision, left all the arguments of the lawyers without attention,” the Ombudsman’s Office explains.
The lawyers also claim that the former deputy chief of executive personnel of the Kyrgyz Republic, Almambet Saliev, controlled all the investigative and judicial authorities, which contradicts the legislation of the republic. But even after his departure from his post, Kuban Azhimudinov continues to be kept under arrest, despite the deteriorating state of his health. Due to the aggravation of diabetes mellitus, his eyesight is failing badly.
In connection with the above, the Ombudsman appealed to the Prosecutor General and the Chairman of the Supreme Court of the republic with an appeal to thoroughly investigate and give a legal assessment of the actions of the i/wpes dealing with the case of Azhimudinov.
