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Belarus will not extradite Bakiyev’s brother to Kyrgyzstan

The Belarussian side believes that the extradition request is related with political persecution
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

MINSK, September 5 (Itar-Tass) — The Belarussian Prosecutor-General’s office has turned down a request from its counterpart in Kyrgyzstan for the extradition of Zhanykbek Bakiyev, brother of the country’s former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev.

“In view of the events that have taken place in the republic of Kyrgyzstan and the nature of the charges brought against Zhanykbek Bakiyev the Belarussian side believes that the extradition request is related with political persecution. For that reason the extradition request from the Prosecutor-General’s Office of the Republic of Kyrgyzstan for Zhanykbek Bakiyev’s extradition was not sustained,” the prosecutor-general’s office told the media.

The Belarussian prosecutor-general’s office considered the request from the PGO of Kyrgyzstan for the extradition of Zhanykbek Bakiyev for trial on criminal charges back last June.

“Under article 89 of the convention on legal assistance and legal relations on civil, family and criminal affairs of October 6, 2002 there shall be no extradition, if there are solid reasons to believe that the extradition request involves persecution of the person involved on the account of race, gender, faith, ethnicity or political convictions,” the Prosecutor-General’s office said.