Leader of Ata Meken party, Omurbek Tekebayev, and the former head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Duishenkul Chotonov, may run for seats in the Parliament of Kyrgyzstan. Lawyer Taalaigul Toktakunova explained to 24.kg news agency why.

According to her, both are not considered as convicted, since their criminal case on corruption charges was sent for revision by a court decision. Consequently, all previous decisions of Themis, by which they were found guilty and convicted, were annulled.

«There is no provision in the legislation prohibiting my clients from participating in the 2020 parliamentary elections. Yes, the proceedings are underway, but neither Tekebayev nor Chotonov are convicted,» the lawyer explained.

It should be noted that neither the first nor the second has yet announced their intention to participate in the election campaign as candidates for the seventh convocation.

Omurbek Tekebayev and Duishenkul Chotonov have been sentenced to eight years in prison with confiscation of property in 2017. Courts of all instances found them guilty under the Article «Corruption» of the Criminal Code of the Kyrgyz Republic.

On August 21, 2019, the Supreme Court of Kyrgyzstan sent the criminal case of Omurbek Tekebayev and Duishenkul Chotonov for revision due to newly discovered circumstances. They were placed under house arrest.