In an interview with Kabar news agency marking the fifth anniversary of the October 2020 events, the President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov spoke about his negotiations with former head of state Sooronbai Jeenbekov.
According to the head of state, after his release from prison on October 6, 2020, the situation in Bishkek was extremely tense. Groups of young people intended to forcibly bring Jeenbekov and other officials to the central square to punish them.
«They had lists with about 300 names — current and former high-ranking officials. I stopped them and said this must not happen. I insisted: no reprisals, no bloodshed. Everything must be resolved strictly by law. If blood is spilled, I will renounce leadership,» Sadyr Japarov emphasized.
He noted that it was at that time that terms such as «kusturization» and «lustration» came into common use, as society demanded the return of stolen assets and the prosecution of corrupt officials.
«I met with Sooronbai Jeenbekov on October 8 or 9 at the residence. The talks were very difficult and lasted several days. In the end, he agreed to step down,» Sadyr Japarov said.
He added that the main priority at that moment was to preserve stability and prevent an escalation of the conflict that could have jeopardized Kyrgyzstan’s future.
