Kyrgyz Prosecutors Seek Lengthy Prison Term For Ex-Prosecutor

BISHKEK -- Prosecutors at a high-profile trial in Kyrgyzstan are seeking an eight-year prison term for a former prosecutor-general accused of abuse of office.

The prosecutors asked a court in Bishkek on September 20 to deliver the sentence against Aida Salyanova, who is now an opposition lawmaker.

She is accused of illegally prolonging the license of a lawyer with links to former President Kurmanbek Bakiev's son, Maksim Bakiev, in 2010, when she served as prosecutor-general.

Salyanova told RFE/RL that her lawyers and herself proved her innocence during what she described as her politically motivated trial.

The probe against Salyanova, who is a member of the opposition Ata-Meken (Fatherland) party, was launched in March, days after party leader Omurbek Tekebaev was arrested on what his supporters say were trumped-up charges.

On August 16, Tekebaev, a former parliament speaker and once a close ally of President Almazbek Atambaev, was found guilty of bribe-taking and sentenced to eight years in prison.

His supporters say the conviction was aimed at preventing him from running in the October 15 presidential election.