Former advisor to Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov, Aidar Khalikov, has been detained in Chisinau by Moldova’s Residence Regime Supervision Directorate within the General Inspectorate for Migration, in collaboration with the officers of the Criminal Investigations Directorate within the National Investigation Inspectorate following an extradition request initiated by Kyrgyzstan and a denial of his asylum application. He is currently detained at the National Investigation Inspectorate in Chisinau. Khalikov is reportedly facing a criminal case in Kyrgyzstan after his November 13, 2024, interview with investigative journalist Bolot Temirov, in which he made serious allegations against President Japarov and other officials.
In the interview, Khalikov accused President Japarov of accepting money from various businessmen and Raimbek Matraimov, the former head of the Customs Service, who has faced corruption allegations. Khalikov also revealed that during Japarov’s 2020 presidential campaign, he served as the campaign coordinator for the Chui region, where cash was allegedly distributed to buy votes. Khalikov said thousands of dollars were brought in plastic bags.
Khalikov further claimed that the head of the Information Policy Service of Kyrgyzstan, Daiyrbek Orunbekov, runs a team tasked with shaping pro-Japarov narratives on social media and spreading hostility towards political opponents and human rights activists, such as Rita Karasartova and Aziza Abdirasulova. According to Khalikov, these individuals are paid between 20,000 and 30,000 Kyrgyz soms for their efforts and there are thousands of them.
He also alleged that even Japarov supporters who voiced criticism of the president’s policies or demanded fulfillment of his campaign promises have been imprisoned on fabricated charges. Khalikov stated that this political environment forced him to leave Kyrgyzstan.
In the interview, Khalikov called President Japarov a “corrupt leader” and accused him of illegal enrishment stating that Sadyr Japarov owned no valuable assets prior to coming to power. Khalikov noted that funds were raised by the public to support Sadyr Japarov’s his basic needs while he was in prison. Khalikov further accused Japarov’s family of seizing businesses and extorting money from individuals.
On the same day, Daiyrbek Orunbekov head of the Information Policy Service of Kyrgyzstan released a video on his Facebook page denying Khalikov’s allegations. Orunbekov accused Khalikov of seeking preferential treatment during his tenure as an advisor and said his criticism stemmed from resentment after being dismissed from his position.
The charges against Khalikov remain undisclosed, and his detention in Moldova marks a significant development in what appears to be a politically charged transnational repression case. Further information is expected as the extradition process unfolds.
