BISHKEK — Two policemen in southern Kyrgyzstan have been arrested in connection with the death of a Russian citizen who authorities say was beaten in custody, RFE/RL’s Kyrgyz Service reports.
Dadamirza Kholmirzaev, who was of Uzbek origin, died in a Jalal-Abad regional hospital on August 9, two days after being questioned by Bazar-Korgon district police about the deadly clashes between local Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in June last year.
A spokesman for the Prosecutor-General later acknowledged that Kholmirzaev had been beaten by local police.
The Interior Ministry press service told journalists today that the two policemen — Ular Ismailov and Nurgazi Tutashev — were arrested on August 21 and charged with abuse of office and premeditated damage to a person’s health.
But a deputy prosecutor for Jalal-Abad Oblast, Anarbai Mamajakypov, told RFE/RL that the two were arrested on August 18 and transferred to house arrest on August 20.
The Interior Ministry press service also said that Interior Minister Zarylbek Rysaliev has officially appointed former Osh deputy police chief Abdil Kulanbaev the new police chief in Bazar-Korgon.
According to the Interior Ministry, former Bazar-Korgon police chief Ernist Moldokeev was fired on August 11
Read more in Kyrgyz here