Фото: en.mediasat.info

Mass media recently have published information the deputy of the Supreme Council of Kyrgyzstan, Damirbek Asylbekuly, who was detained in Almaty. According to them, he has been granted citizenship of Kazakhstan. However, Kyrgyz Foreign Ministry refused to comment on the situation. In this regard, we have decided to publish a list of Kyrgyz politicians, who have received dual citizenship.

Before Damirbek Asylbekuly, there was Omirbek Babanov, an opposition politician who attracted the attention of the people of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. His dispute began in 2007. The same year, Kyrgyzstan's Central Election Commission recognized Babanov as a "citizen of Kazakhstan" and refused him to take part in elections. After that, media representatives and politicians was writing about Babanov's citizenship during the parliamentary elections in 2010, 2015. However, despite all this, Babanov went to the parliament. He was even prime minister for some time. However, in the presidential election in 2017, former president of Kyrgyzstan, Almazbek Atambayev strongly condemned Babanov's meeting with Nazarbayev, stating that Omirbek Babanov is "the accomplice of Kazakhstan". After that, the role of Babanov in the politics of Kyrgyzstan was finished. After the election, he had to leave the country.

Another politician, who was involved in a dispute after Omirbek Babanov, was the head of customs service of Kyrgyzstan, Kuanyshbek Kulmatov. In 2011, Kyrgyzstan's Prosecutor General's Office claimed that Kulmatov granted Russian citizenship. After that, media representatives was looking for information regarding to his biography. However, despite the protests of the journalists and opposition groups, he has worked the mayor of Bishkek city, the head of the "Russia-Kyrgyzstan" Development Fund and the chairman of National Bank.

Zhyrgalbek Samatov, deputy of the "Republic-Ata Zhurt" fraction, was deprived of his post because of dual citizenship. In 2016, the Kyrgyz Prosecutor General's Office, based on documents received from the migration service of the Russian Federation, deprived him of his deputy mandate. As stated by the Prosecutor-General's Office, Zhyrgalbek Samatov granted Russian citizenship in 2001. However, depite of that, he was elected as a deputy in the Supreme Council from the "Republic - Ata Zhurt" party.

Translated by Nazerke Syundyukova

“The Qazaq Times”