BISHKEK -- Lawmakers in Kyrgyzstan Thursday (June 27) lifted the immunity of a former president, enabling his prosecution on charges of illegal land purchases and corruption.
Parliament voted 103 to 6 in favour of removing Almazbek Atambayev's immunity. He was president from 2011 to 2017.
Kyrgyzstan, one of the poorest ex-Soviet states, has grappled with various problems since gaining independence in 1991, including the exodus of several hundred radicalised citizens to join "Islamic State" (IS) in Syria.
