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Son of deposed Kyrgyzstan president facing abuse of power charges

By Bernard Hibbitts (editor) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law students.

[JURIST] The Kyrgyzstan Prosecutor General's Office announced Friday that the son of deposed president Kurmanbek Bakiyev, Maksim Bakiyev, faces charges of abuse of power and misuse of state credit. Maksim Bakiyev ran Kyrgyzstan's Central Agency for Development, Investment and Innovation and is accused of transferring USD $35 million of a $300 million loan from Russia into private bank accounts. In separate criminal cases, Maksim Bakiyev, along with his brother Marat and paternal uncle Janysh are also facing three charges of premeditated murder and attempted murder. Also Friday, Kyrgyzstan interim leader Roza Otunbayeva announced that the government is working on a new constitution that will provide for a parliamentary democracy for the country. Kurmanbek Bakiyev officially resigned from the presidency on Thursday after a week of political chaos following violent political protests.Earlier this week, Otunbayeva said that Kurmanbek Bakiyev should stand trial for the recent violence. The protests, prompted in part by a drastic increase in utility costs, led to at least 84 deaths and many more injuries. On Tuesday, Kyrgyzstan's interim government announced that the country's highest court will be suspended until a permanent government is established. Roza Otunbayeva launched the interim government last week after violence forced Bakiyev to flee the capital. The protests came just one week after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Kyrgyzstan to protect all forms of human rights, including "free speech and freedom of the media."

Full post as published by JURIST - The Paper Chase on April 16, 2010 (boomark / email).