Kyrgyzstan's released ex-president leaves country

Almazbek Atambayev, the former president of Kyrgyzstan, has left the country after being released from prison, the local news portal 24.Kg reports.

Accompanied by his son Kadyrbek, Almazbek Atambayev flew to Dubai, after which he will reportedly fly to Spain for medical treatment.

"Almazbek Atambayev took the Bishkek-Dubai flight today at 6.34 am," said people close to the former president.

On February 14, the former president was released from the penal colony. The court also allowed him to leave the country due to the need for medical treatment.

Earlier, Kyrgyzstan's Supreme Court overturned his conviction and sent the criminal case for reconsideration.

Atambayev was president from 2011 to 2017. Several criminal cases were opened against him, including in connection with the riots dated back August 7-8, 2019 in the village of Koi-Tash, as well as corruption and money laundering and the illegal issuance of passports to Turkish citizens.

On June 23, 2020, a court sentenced Atambayev to 11 years and two months in prison with confiscation of property for the 2013 illegal release of criminal authority Aziz Batukayev.