Prosecutors Seek Eight Years In Jail For Ex-Mayor Of Bishkek

Prosecutors in Kyrgyzstan have asked a court in Bishkek to sentence a former mayor of the city, Isa Omurkulov, to eight years in jail for abuse of office.

The prosecutors on June 12 also asked the court to sentence four former associates of Omurkulov to prison terms of between five and six years.

Omurkulov resigned as mayor of the Kyrgyz capital in December after the prosecutor-general's office launched a probe against him and his four associates.

They were accused of redrawing the borders of a park in the center of Bishkek to accommodate the existence of illegal construction there from 2002 to 2010 and to allow new buildings on park grounds.

A court then barred Omurkulov from leaving the country pending his trial that started in April.

Omurkulov denies any wrongdoing.