Ex-Kyrgyz president’s son arrested in London

Ex-Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev’s son Maxim has been arrested in London, the Kyrgyz presidential press service said, RIA Novosti reports.

“Maxim Bakiyev, accused of grave crimes, was arrested in the morning of October 12 by British law enforcement agencies at the requests of Kyrgyzstan and the United States,” the press service said.

Maxim, who headed the central development, innovation and investment agency under his father’s administration, was put on an international wanted list on accusations of corruption and money laundering following the April 2010 state coup that ousted Kurmanbek Bakiyev. Maxim has been hiding in London since.

Kyrgyzstan’s presidential press service said that as Kyrgyzstan and Britain have no extradition agreement, London is considering extraditing Maxim Bakiyev to the United States, where he faces a long prison term if found guilty.