BISHKEK -- Former Kyrgyz Deputy Interior Minister and ex-presidential candidate Kursan Asanov has been placed in a detention center over his role in anti-government protests against the official results of parliamentary elections that ousted the government and President Sooronbai Jeenbekov in October.
Asanov's lawyer, Ikramidin Aitkulov, told RFE/RL on January 26 that his client was charged with the illegal seizure of a state building.
A Interior Ministry official confirmed to RFE/RL that Asanov was taken into custody but gave no further details.
Asanov was initially arrested in early October and placed under pretrial arrest, but a court in Bishkek transferred him to house arrest in November.
While under house arrest, Asanov registered as a presidential candidate for a January 10 early presidential election at which he got 0.5 percent of the votes.
Sadyr Japarov easily won the election.
Asanov's wife, Kulnara Usonkanova, was summoned to police for questioning in a fraud case on January 11. Authorities said at the time that she suffered a stroke during the questioning and was hospitalized.
Former Kyrgyz Deputy Interior Minister Asanov Sent To Pretrial Detention Again
