BISHKEK, February 12 (RIA Novosti) - A Kyrgyzstan military court on Tuesday sentenced ousted former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev in absentia to 24 years in a high-security prison for abuse of office while he was in power.
His brother, Zhanybek Bakiyev, former head of the State Protection Service, was sentenced in absentia to life on six charges including mass murder.
The court also ordered the Bakiyevs’ property confiscated.
Kurmanbek and Zhanybek Bakiyev fled Kyrgyzstan after a bloody uprising in April 2010 which ousted the president, who had ruled for five years. Opposition forces, brought to power by the revolt, put the two brothers on the international wanted list and Interpol has issued a red notice for them.
Both are currently in Belarus, which has refused to extradite them.
According to Belarusian media reports, the two brothers have been granted political asylum by President Alexander Lukashenko. Kurmanbek Bakiyev has received Belarusian citizenship and acquired real estate in a Minsk suburb. That information has not been officially confirmed or denied.
