Ata Meken leader held on corruption charges but supporters call the move politically motivated before elections.
Authorities in Kyrgyzstan have detained a prominent opposition leader on charges of fraud and corruption , claims that his supporters say are politically motivated in advance of a presidential poll.
Omurbek Tekebayev, leader of the nominally socialist Ata Meken party and o ne of the most outspoken critics of President Almazbek Atambayev , was detained on Sunday after landing at Bishkek airport.
In a statement, the prosecutor general’s office said it suspected Tekebayev of taking a $1m bribe from a Russian investor in 2010.
Tekebayev, who was then a senior member of the provisional government, promised the investor he would be able to take over a local telecommunications company, prosecutors said.
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Supporters held demonstrations to protest the arrest across the country as it may eliminate him as a contender for the upcoming presidential election on November 19.
