US: extradite son of Kyrgyzstan ex-leader
Source: Agencies |
October 14, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE United States said yesterday it had asked Britain to extradite the arrested son of Kyrgyzstan's fugitive ex-president on fraud charges.
The Kyrgyz president's office said Maxim Bakiyev, son of the country's former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, had been arrested in London on Friday at the request of Kyrgyzstan and the US.
British police said the 34-year-old Bakiyev had been arrested by extradition officers on the request of US authorities, who want to question him for alleged involvement in fraud. He had voluntarily visited a police station in central London by appointment.
"The United States has requested the extradition of Mr Bakiyev from the United Kingdom to face trial in US federal court on serious charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and obstruction of justice," the US embassy in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek said in a statement.
"If convicted, Mr Bakiyev could face a lengthy prison sentence."
Ex-president Bakiyev was given shelter by Belarus after crowds of protesters seized his government headquarters in an April 2010 revolt in which about 90 people were killed when security forces opened fire on opposition supporters.
Belarus, run by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, has repeatedly rejected Kyrgyzstan's requests to extradite the former president, who is accused at home of "mass killings" of protesters during the coup.
Maxim Bakiyev, who under his father headed an investment agency, has been accused by the country's new authorities of involvement in large-scale frauds which stripped the impoverished ex-Soviet nation's coffers of millions of dollars.Kyrgyz prosecutors say that companies owned by Bakiyev avoided almost US$80 million in taxes on aviation fuel sold to suppliers of a US air base in the country, a key refueling point for warplanes flying over Afghanistan and a major hub for combat troop movement.
The allegations date back to 2005, the year Maxim's father Kurmanbek came to power. His critics claim he soon started grooming his son as a successor.
Kyrgyzstan's ties with Belarus have soured in recent months after Minsk also declined to extradite the ex-president's younger brother Zhanybek, who headed his personal security guard.
Two presidents, including Bakiyev, have been toppled in Kyrgyzstan since 2005. Some 500 people were killed in interethnic violence in June 2010.
The Kyrgyz president's office said Maxim Bakiyev, son of the country's former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, had been arrested in London on Friday at the request of Kyrgyzstan and the US.
British police said the 34-year-old Bakiyev had been arrested by extradition officers on the request of US authorities, who want to question him for alleged involvement in fraud. He had voluntarily visited a police station in central London by appointment.
"The United States has requested the extradition of Mr Bakiyev from the United Kingdom to face trial in US federal court on serious charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and obstruction of justice," the US embassy in the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek said in a statement.
"If convicted, Mr Bakiyev could face a lengthy prison sentence."
Ex-president Bakiyev was given shelter by Belarus after crowds of protesters seized his government headquarters in an April 2010 revolt in which about 90 people were killed when security forces opened fire on opposition supporters.
Belarus, run by authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko, has repeatedly rejected Kyrgyzstan's requests to extradite the former president, who is accused at home of "mass killings" of protesters during the coup.
Maxim Bakiyev, who under his father headed an investment agency, has been accused by the country's new authorities of involvement in large-scale frauds which stripped the impoverished ex-Soviet nation's coffers of millions of dollars.Kyrgyz prosecutors say that companies owned by Bakiyev avoided almost US$80 million in taxes on aviation fuel sold to suppliers of a US air base in the country, a key refueling point for warplanes flying over Afghanistan and a major hub for combat troop movement.
The allegations date back to 2005, the year Maxim's father Kurmanbek came to power. His critics claim he soon started grooming his son as a successor.
Kyrgyzstan's ties with Belarus have soured in recent months after Minsk also declined to extradite the ex-president's younger brother Zhanybek, who headed his personal security guard.
Two presidents, including Bakiyev, have been toppled in Kyrgyzstan since 2005. Some 500 people were killed in interethnic violence in June 2010.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
