Left to right: Temirlan Sultanbekov, Irina Karamushkina and Roza Turksever. Photo: Kloop.kg Telegram channel
Temirlan Sultanbekov, the leader of Kyrgyzstan's Social Democratic Party, has been placed in a pre-trial detention facility in Bishkek. This preventive measure was ordered by the Sverdlovsky District Court of the Kyrgyz capital.
Sultanbekov's party associates, Irina Karamushkina and Roza Turksever, have also been remanded in custody until January 13. All three are implicated in a case of voter bribery on the eve of local kenesh (council) elections. Following the initiation of criminal proceedings, Bishkek's territorial election commission (TEC) decided to remove the Social Democrats party from the city kenesh elections.
The elections were held on November 17. According to preliminary data from Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission, five parties that surpassed the five percent threshold entered the Bishkek city kenesh: «Zhany kuch – New Force» (29.38%), «Emgek» (22%), «Adilet» (15.9%), «Yntymak» (14.07%), and «El Umutu» (10.93%).
The Central Election Commission reported that the overall voter turnout across the country was 27.83%. Out of 4,135,039 Kyrgyz citizens included in the voter lists, 1,150,931 people participated in the voting.
