Kyrgyzstan’s Power Shift: A New Face in Security
The chair of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament stepped down on Thursday.
Simultaneously, several supporters of the former head of security were taken into custody.
Key Players
- President Sadyr Japarov – Decided to remove former security chief Kamchybek Tashiev.
- Former Speaker Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu – Close ally of Tashiev, considered the country’s second‑most powerful figure.
- Kamchybek Tashiev – Once led the security services; reportedly receiving medical care in Germany at the time of his dismissal.
Background
Since 2020, Japarov and Tashiev shared power, balancing influence between the north and south. Their abrupt split threatens to spark unrest in a nation that has seen three presidents ousted by protests since 2005.
Both leaders had previously cracked down on free speech and opposition, a shift many felt restored order and boosted the economy.
Current Developments
- Arrests: Five prominent Tashiev supporters detained for allegedly stirring trouble.
- Security Reorganization: The security services once led by Tashiev were quickly restructured.
- Official Rationale: Japarov’s side attributes the dismissal to “unseen forces” attempting to divide society.
Tashiev, who called his ousting “unexpected,” urged people to obey the law rather than destabilize the country.
International Context
Kyrgyzstan, a close ally of Russia, faces scrutiny from Western nations for allegedly aiding Russia in evading sanctions related to the Ukraine war. The European Union recently proposed banning certain exports to Kyrgyzstan over concerns about sanctions evasion.
