The state prosecutor asked to sentence Ruslan Beknazarov, who is accused of spreading extremist materials, to three years in prison. On April 11, a hearing was held at the First May District Court. Beknazarov uploaded the video taken during the trial to his Facebook page.
The prosecutor found Ruslan Beknazarov guilty under Article 332 of the Criminal Code (“Preparation and distribution of extremist materials”) and asked for a three-year prison sentence.
Beknazarov reiterated his innocence. The last word in court was scheduled for April 25.
On September 14, 2022, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) released information about the arrest of Ruslan Beknazarov, the first deputy governor of the Sverdlov district of Bishkek. Based on the criminal case initiated under the article “Preparation and distribution of extremist materials” of the Criminal Code, he connected it with an account that was spreading propaganda materials for the ideology of the Hizb ut-Tahrir organization on social networks. Beknazarov was released from house arrest after spending almost two months in the pre-trial detention center.
In November, the first deputy governor announced his resignation from his position. He is the son of politician and former ambassador Azimbek Beknazarov. Azimbek Beknazarov is in prison on suspicion of “preparing to organize a mass riot” in connection with the Kempir-Abad water reservoir. (TSh)