Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov has revealed that he originally planned for his former close ally and security chief, Kamshubek Tashiev, to succeed him in the presidency, but ultimately abandoned the plan after concluding that Tashiev was not ready for the role. The disclosure, made during an August 13 interview with journalist Ali Toktakunov, comes at a politically turbulent time as Kyrgyzstan's Prosecutor General appeals a recent court ruling to demand harsher punishments for Tashiev and several co-defendants in an alleged coup case.
During the interview, Japarov also confirmed that he intends to run for a second term in the upcoming January 2027 presidential election to complete his ongoing reforms. This marks a shift from his previous plan to step down after a single term. Japarov explained that he had initially told Tashiev to prepare for the transition of power, advising him to cleanse his circle and educate his staff. However, Japarov said he soon realized Tashiev was unprepared, noting that Tashiev's staff was not behaving as expected and members of his entourage were rapidly accumulating power.
Tashiev served as the head of the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) until his abrupt dismissal in February. At the time, Japarov publicly justified the removal of his long-time ally as a necessary step to strengthen state unity and prevent divisions between government agencies. Just a month prior to his ouster, Tashiev had dismissed rumors of his presidential ambitions, asserting his absolute loyalty to Japarov and stating that only death could separate them. Despite Tashiev's consistent denials of political ambition, Japarov's recent remarks confirm that a succession plan was indeed in place before falling apart.
According to Japarov, the breaking point occurred when the so-called "Letter of 75" emerged, prompting a division in parliament between supporters of the security chief. Japarov recalled summoning Tashiev and telling him that dividing the people was unacceptable, particularly as the nation was beginning to unite, before dismissing him from his post. This political fallout mirrors previous Kyrgyz transitions, notably when former President Almazbek Atambayev's hand-picked successor, Sooronbai Jeenbekov, turned against him. That dispute culminated in Atambayev's 2019 arrest and the 2020 political unrest that ultimately freed Japarov from prison and propelled both him and Tashiev to power.
Last month, Tashiev, along with former Speaker of the Zhogorku Kenesh Nurlanbek Turgunbek uulu, former Member of Parliament Kurmankul Zulushev, and five other individuals, were convicted of a coup attempt under Article 326 of the criminal code, which covers the violent seizure of power or attempts to change the constitutional order. They were acquitted of abuse of office charges. While prosecutors had demanded nine-year prison sentences, the judge handed down four-year sentences and immediately replaced them with three years of supervised probation. As a result, the five defendants who had been held in custody were released, and Tashiev did not serve any jail time.
On August 13, the same day Japarov's interview was published on YouTube, the Prosecutor General's Office filed an appeal against the verdict. According to Tashiev's lawyer, as reported by local outlet 24.kg, the state is seeking to overturn the acquittals and secure significantly harsher prison sentences under the Article 326 charges. Meanwhile, the defendants are appealing for a complete acquittal. This legal battle carries significant political weight; under legislation signed by Japarov in 2025, any individual with an active criminal record is barred from running for the presidency.
The presidential election is scheduled for January 27, 2027, following a late July legislative change signed by Japarov that shifted the voting day from January 24 to January 27, moving it from the fourth Sunday of the month to the fourth Wednesday. The possibility of Japarov seeking a second term was first raised in January 2024 by his ally Edil Baisalov, then-Deputy Prime Minister and current Kyrgyz Ambassador to the United States, who told RFE/RL that the president would not abandon his work halfway. The Constitutional Court subsequently ruled that Japarov's current term counts as his first under the April 2021 constitution, clearing his path to run again. Despite the legal barriers facing his former ally, Japarov maintained in his interview that the elections will be fully transparent and open to any competitor without obstacles.
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