UK, Belarus reject request to extradite former Kyrgyz president

The UK and Belarus have refused to hand over former Kyrgyz president Kurmanbek Bakiyev and members of his family who are charged with a number of crimes in Kyrgyzstan, the head of Kyrgyzstan's State Committee for National Security Keneshbek Dushebayev said. Bakiyev was ousted in April 2010. A trial into the deaths of pro-opposition demonstrators began in Bishkek last November. About 90 people died and 1,000 were injured in the disorder. “The son of former president Maxim Bakiyev has received refugee status in Britain. Kurmanbek Bakiyev receieved political asylum in Belarus. His brother Zhanysh Bakiyev, who headed the security service, also lives in Belarus and from time to time visits Tajikistan,” Dushebayev said. Bakiyev's elder son Marat lives in Kazakhstan and often visits his father in Minsk. Murat Sutalinov, head of State Committee for National Security and former Deputy Prime Minister Daniyar Usenov also live in Kazakhstan.