Ex-Kyrgyz president Bakiyev sentenced to life in absentia

BISHKEK. KAZINFORM - A military tribunal in Kyrgyzstan on Friday sentenced former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev and his brother to life imprisonment and property confiscation for masterminding the murder of protesters in 2010.

The judge said Bakiyev and his brother Janybek, who headed the Kyrgyz state guard service, were found guilty of masterminding murder, attempted murder and abuse of power. Ex-premier of Kyrgyzstan Daniyar Usenov was also sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment and confiscation for masterminding murder. In April 2010, thousands of Kyrgyz opposition supporters staged a rally in dowtown Bishkek and attempted to break into the government headquarters. A total of 77 people were killed and over 300 injured in the protests that eventually led to the ouster of Bakiyev, Itar-Tass reports. After the uprising the Bakiev brothers fled to Belarus and were later granted political asylum.