Five sentenced over Kyrgyz political murder
![Five sentenced over Kyrgyz political murder](https://www.azernews.az/media/pictures/kirgiz.jpg)
A Bishkek garrison court has sentenced five former Kyrgyz
officials for their roles in a high-profile political assassination
that was initially ruled a traffic accident, Radio Liberty
reported.
The convictions still leave open questions, as the authorities are
seeking the arrest of exiled former President Kurmanbek Bakiev and
one of his brothers for their suspected involvement in the
killings.
Supporters and family members of slain opposition politician Medet
Sadyrkulov and two associates have alleged the killings were part
of a broader conspiracy.
Former Kyrgyz Border Guard Service chief Zamir Moldoshev was
sentenced on November 26 to five years in prison. A former
department chief with the State Protection Service, meanwhile,
received 18 years and his two former subordinates got 15 years each
in prison.
Sadyrkulov and his associates were found dead in a burned car near
Bishkek in March 2009.
The deaths were ruled a traffic accident until the reopening of the
case following the ouster of Bakiev from the presidency in April
2010.
Kurmanbek Bakiev lives in Belarusian exile.
His brother Janysh was the head of the presidential guard and seen
as the president's uncompromising enforcer.
Sadyrkulov was killed shortly after he left a job as Bakiev's chief
of staff to join the opposition. He had previously served as chief
of staff to Bakiev's predecessor, Askar Akaev.