Kyrgyz opposition figures jailed

BISHKEK:

A Kyrgyz court sentenced the son of a former president and three other opposition figures to jail on Thursday for attempting to seize power in the Central Asian country.

Kadyrbek Atambayev, vice chair of the centre-left Social Democrats party and son of former president Almazbek Atambayev, was sentenced to four years imprisonment for trying to "violently seize power", a court in the capital Bishkek ruled.

The party's leader and two others were convicted of similar charges, while one person was acquitted. The jailings come ahead of January presidential elections that incumbent Sadyr Japarov wishes to win by a large margin.

Kyrgyzstan has faced growing accusations of democratic backsliding under President Japarov. Since taking power on the back of a street revolution in 2020, the 57-year-old's administration has curbed critical media outlets, jailed opposition politicians and tightened control over elections.

Former president Atambayev, 70, is a critic of Japarov, living in exile since 2023.