The Belarusian authorities have rejected the interim Kyrgyz government’s request for the extradition of ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev.
"The Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus has left ungranted the request of the Prosecutor General’s Office of Kyrgyzstan for the extradition of Bakiyev,"Pyotr Kisyalyow, spokesman for the Prosecutor General’s Office, told BelaPAN on Tuesday.
According to him, Belarus’ answer was sent by mail to Bishkek as far back as June 10.
Mr. Bakiyev has been staying in Belarus since April 19. He fled Kyrgyzstan after being overthrown amid violent clashes between government troops and demonstrators in early April.
The interim authorities in Kyrgyzstan want the former president to stand trial for allegedly sanctioning gunfire on a crowd of protesters that left more than 80 people dead.
On May 21, Minsk received a formal request for his extradition and an 18-page attachment from Bishkek.
In an interview with Reuters in early May, Alyaksandr Lukashenka made it clear that he would reject an extradition request for Mr. Bakiyev. "Such a request would be hopeless and humiliating for the interim government [in Kyrgyzstan]," he said. "The president of Kyrgyzstan is under the protection of the Belarusian state and its president."
Mr. Bakiyev told reporters in Minsk on Monday that he did not know how long he would stay in Belarus. "I haven't thought about it," he said. "I want to reiterate that I like being here."
