Kyrgyzstan’s Power Shift: A New Face in Security

The chair of Kyrgyzstan’s parliament stepped down on Thursday, and several people who had supported the former head of security were taken into custody. This move comes after President Sadyr Japarov decided to remove the former security chief, Kamchybek Tashiev, who had been a key ally of his. The former speaker, Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, was known for his close ties to Tashiev and had been considered the second most powerful person in the country. Since 2020, Japarov and Tashiev had run Kyrgyzstan together, balancing power between the north and south. Their sudden split could lead to more unrest in a nation that has seen three presidents removed by protests since 2005. Both leaders had cracked down on free speech and opposition, a shift that many people in Kyrgyzstan felt restored order and boosted the economy.Authorities have arrested five prominent Tashiev supporters, accusing them of stirring trouble. They also quickly reorganised the security services that Tashiev once led. Japarov’s side says the dismissal was because of unseen forces trying to create divisions in society. Tashiev, who was reportedly receiving medical care in Germany when he was removed, called his ousting “unexpected” and urged people to follow the law instead of destabilising the country. Kyrgyzstan is a close ally of Russia and has faced scrutiny from Western countries that accuse it of helping Russia dodge sanctions related to the Ukraine war. The European Union recently suggested banning certain exports to Kyrgyzstan over concerns about sanctions evasion.