Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Prison Terms For Two Former Bishkek Mayors 

BISHKEK -- Kyrgyz prosecutors in a high-profile corruption trial have asked a court to sentence two former mayors of Bishkek to lengthy prison terms.

The prosecutors asked the Lenin district court in Bishkek, on December 9, to sentence Albek Ibraimov to 20 years and Kubanychbek Kulmatov to 15 years in prison.

Kulmatov ran the capital city in 2014-16 and Ibraimov in 2016-18. The two were charged along with 11 others for alleged corruption while in office.

Both former officials served as mayors of Bishkek during the tenure of former President Almazbek Atambaev.

Three days earlier, two former Kyrgyz prime ministers, Sapar Isakov and Jantoro Satybaldiev, were sentenced to 15 and 7 1/2 years in prison in another high-profile corruption case.

That case was launched amid tensions between Atambaev and current incumbent Sooronbai Jeenbekov, an ex-prime minister who was tapped by Atambaev as his favored successor in Kyrgyzstan's October 2017 presidential election.

Atambaev was arrested on August 8 after he surrendered to police following two days of violent resistance by supporters. He had refused to show up at police headquarters for questioning in an unrelated case.